Trump says ‘US will take over the Gaza Strip’ — after relocating ‘all’ Palestinians
WASHINGTON — President Trump proposed a US takeover of the Gaza Strip Tuesday night — shortly after suggesting moving “all” Palestinians living there to other countries.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump, 78, said at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who praised the concept.
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY …
GAZA STRIP IS 141 SQIARE MILES AND 25 MILES LONG BEACH FRONT, 3.7 MILES AND 7.5 AT IT WIDEST POINT.
LAS VEGAS CITY, NEVADA IS A CITY, TOWN, PLACE EQUIVALENT, AND TOWNSHIP LOCATED IN NEVADA. LAS VEGAS CITY, NEVADA HAS A LAND AREA OF 141.8 SQUARE MILES, AND NO BEACH FRONT PROPERTY.
“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings — level it out and create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”
BREAKING THE CYCLE
Trump added that the roughly 2 million Gaza Strip residents would be relocated to neighboring countries in a transitional phase — and indicated they would not be granted the right of return afterward.
“Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years,” the president said at the press conference.
Trump said he would deploy US troops to the territory “if it’s necessary” and that he imagined “the world’s people” occupying an “international unbelievable place” that would be regarded as “the Riviera of the Middle East,” with some Palestinians permitted to resettle there.
Netanyahu all but endorsed the idea, saying: “I think it’s something that could change history and it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue.”
The Israeli leader said “[Trump] sees a different future for that piece of land that has been the focus of so much terrorism, so many attacks against us, so many trials and so many tribulations.
“He has a different idea, and I think it’s worth paying attention to this.”
Trump, who frequently denounces prior US military interventions in the Middle East, did not lay out a timeline for either the proposed US occupation or the relocation of Gaza’s residents, but he presented the overall plan as a well-considered “strong recommendation” to bring peace to the region.
“I’ve studied this very closely over a lot of months, and I’ve seen it from every different angle,” Trump said.
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“I spoke to other leaders of countries in the Middle East and they love the idea. They say it really brings stability and what we need is stability.”
Hamas and Israel reached a cease-fire deal last month — after Trump threatened “hell” for the terrorist group if a deal to end fighting and release hostages was not inked before he took office on Jan. 20.
Hamas still controls parts of the Gaza Strip, despite being greatly reduced in power during the 16-month war.
Trump said the US would become “somewhat more violent” if Hamas reneges on its agreement to release all hostages it seized during the Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack that sparked the war.
Egyptian and Jordanian leaders have already rejected Trump’s request that they take in Gazans.
But Trump claimed Tuesday that he believes Amman and Cairo will agree to do it, and that Gazans would be thrilled to relocate.
“Gaza is a hellhole right now,” he said.
“It was before the bombing started, frankly, and we’re going to give people a chance to live in a beautiful community that’s safe and secure, and I think you’re going to see tremendous outpouring of support.”
The president made a series of escalating remarks about Gaza throughout the day Tuesday, and said in the Oval Office before the press conference that he thought residents “wouldn’t want to go back” after being relocated.
“I do see a long-term ownership position,” Trump said at the press conference when asked about the potential US takeover.
“Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent, in a really magnificent area that nobody would know.”
Advisor To Saudi King: The Changes Unfolding In The Middle East Provide An Opportunity For Peace With Israel
In a December 17, 2024 article in the London-based Saudi daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, senior Saudi diplomat Hassan Yassin, who serves as an advisor to King Salman bin Abdulaziz, explained that the changes currently unfolding in the Middle East, including the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's regime in Syria, have sparked many hopes and create an opportunity to advance peace in the region after many years of chaos, including peace with Israel. He noted that the Arab world has already extended its hand to Israel through the Saudi peace initiative of 2002 and later through the signing of the Abraham Accords. Now, he said, it is time for Israel to abandon the path of violence and force and "become a partner in peace, prosperity and stability for the future of our shared region."
It should be noted that Yassin has been close to many Saudi kings and senior officials. He founded the Saudi Information Office in the U.S. and headed it from 1972 to 1981, and worked alongside Saudi ministers of finance and oil. His father Yousuf Yassin was a senior Saudi statesman who was an advisor and close associate of the founder of the Saudi kingdom, King Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
The following are translated excerpts from Hassan Yassin's article:[1]
"...These days, there is a sense that a quiet but certain change is spreading throughout the Arab world. After suffering under the rule of the Assad family for more than 50 years, the Syrians have recently taken back control of their future. In other Arab countries, leaders have chosen to trust their people and provide them with the tools and opportunities to build a brighter and more promising future for themselves and their countries...
"The Arab world has experienced long periods of unrest and suffering, and some of its leaders were responsible for mistakes. But today, security and enthusiasm are driving the Arab world and its people forward. In Syria, the open wound is being cleansed. In Palestine, the pain and suffering have lasted almost a hundred [years] and are [still] awaiting a solution. However, there is no doubt that the Palestinian people, who have suffered for so long, will overcome the iron fist of Israeli occupation.
"Israel is treading a path filled with danger. It relies solely on its military and its weapons, and the concern is that it will oppress not only the Palestinians but also its neighbors, such as Lebanon and Syria. However, no mountain of difficulty and despair will stand in the way of the profound historical change that is steering the moral world towards justice.
"Those who believe they have power and attempt to impose it [on others] through fear will soon discover that power does not last forever. Their future lies in extending a peaceful hand and establishing respect and trust with others. Those who believe that everyone is their enemy will find that their greatest enemy is themselves.
"In the West, especially in the U.S., public opinion has shifted and distanced itself from the violent Israeli occupation and its endless wars. In light of the changes in the Arab world and the Middle East, Israel cannot miss this opportunity to establish peace with its neighbors and become part of the positive dynamic that is currently taking place in our region and among its peoples.
"Strong nations are not built through blind force but through trust and respect. The Arab world has already extended a peaceful hand to Israel, starting with the Arab Peace Initiative led by Saudi Arabia in 2002 and culminating in the recent establishment of diplomatic relations [between Israel] and four other Arab countries [i.e., the Abraham Accords]. The time has come to care for all our peoples and live together in peace…
SKIN IN THE GAME … EVERYONE A WINNER!
"Today, there is a strong and stable movement sweeping through the Arab world, opening the door to hope and to opportunities for a bright future. The time has come for Israel to recognize this dynamic and become a partner in peace, prosperity and stability for the future of our shared region. [It is time] for Israel to understand that the powerful who rely on violence and control over others will eventually lose touch with reality and face unrest. Let us move with the ocean and overcome the mountain of despair."
[1] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), December 17, 2024.
