US President Donald Trump has suggested that many Palestinians should leave Gaza. After ordering the U.S. military to restart a shipment of 2,000 pounds of bombs to Israel, it “cleaned” the entire strip.
Trump says he wants Gaza residents to move to neighboring countries, and after a phone call with Jordan’s King Abdullah on Saturday that their evacuation “could be temporary or long-term.” said.
“I would rather join some of the Arab countries and build housing in different places.
“You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, so we just clean up all of that and say, ‘You know, it’s over.’ ”
Gaza has 2.3 million inhabitants. Trump said he asked King Abdullah if the country would bring in more Palestinians. Jordan already has 2.4 million Palestinian refugees from families expelled in 1948 after the creation of Israel.
“I told him, I want to do more because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip now. It’s a mess, it’s a real mess.” Trump told him when asked about the call. I want people to take me there.
He also proposed Egypt as a destination for Gaza residents and said he would raise the issue with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday.
Since the start of the 2023 war, Egypt has repeatedly warned against the forced removal of Palestinians from Gaza and reinforced its borders. Sisi said the move to force people into Sinai jeopardizes relations with Israel, including the 1979 peace treaty between the two countries.
Mustafa Barghouti, a senior Palestinian politician, “completely rejected” Trump’s comments, Palestinian news agency Maan reported. Barghouti said that in response to attempts at “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza, “the Palestinian people are committed to remaining in their homeland.”
Within Israel, there have been calls since the beginning of the war for a permanent and forced transfer of residents. Trump’s comments were welcomed by far-right politicians who support Jewish settlements in Gaza.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the relocation of Palestinians as a “great idea” and said he would work with the prime minister and cabinet to develop “an operational plan for implementation” as soon as possible.
Before Trump took office, officials on his transition team said the administration was discussing relocating 2 million Palestinians during reconstruction if the current interim ceasefire holds. Jakarta said it was not aware of any such plans.
Trump has not laid out his vision for post-war governance of Gaza. While signing executive orders after taking office, he discussed the territory as a real estate prospect, praising its seaside location and weather.
“I saw pictures of Gaza. It’s like a massive demolition site,” he said Tuesday. “It has to be rebuilt in a different way.”
A Qatari official who brokered a pause in the fighting in Gaza described “plans ending in relocation or reoccupation” as red lines.
Trump’s new administration has promised “unwavering support” for Israel, and key positions have been taken by hard-line supporters of enlargement, including the ambassador.
Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations has confirmed that he believes Israel has “biblical rights” to the West Bank, which it occupied in 1967 and which most of the world recognizes as the center of a future Palestinian state. He said that
Also on Saturday, Trump said he had ordered the restart of some of the largest shipments of bombs to Israel.
Biden suspended deliveries of the 2,000-pound bomb due to concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza caused by the powerful weapon.
When asked why he released the powerful bombs, Trump replied, “Because they bought them.”
The Biden administration had sent thousands of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel after the war began before halting shipments last year.
