Donald Trump has doubled down on his plan to take management of Gaza, saying he’s dedicated to purchasing and proudly owning the war-ravaged land however might enable sections of it to be rebuilt by different states within the Center East.
Talking onboard Air Drive One on his solution to attend the Tremendous Bowl in New Orleans, the US president instructed journalists: “I am dedicated to purchasing and proudly owning Gaza.
“As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it, other people may do it, through our auspices. But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back.”
He added: “There’s nothing to move back into. The place is a demolition site. The remainder will be demolished. Everything’s demolished.”
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Donald Trump onboard Air Drive One. Pic: Reuters
Mr Trump claimed Arab nations would agree to soak up Palestinians after talking with him and insisted Palestinians would depart Gaza if they’d a alternative.
“They don’t want to return to Gaza. If we could give them a home in a safer area – the only reason they’re talking about returning to Gaza is they don’t have an alternative. When they have an alternative, they don’t want to return to Gaza,” he mentioned.
‘Gaza just isn’t a property to be bought’
A member of the Hamas political bureau, Ezzat El Rashq, was fast to sentence Mr Trump’s newest remarks.
“Gaza is not a property to be sold and bought. It is an integral part of our occupied Palestinian land,” he mentioned in an announcement, including that Palestinians will foil all displacement plans.
Shortly after being sworn-in for a second presidential time period on 20 January, Mr Trump floated the concept of the UStaking over Gaza and fascinating in an enormous rebuilding effort.
On Wednesday, the president elaborated on his plans, saying his nation might flip it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” whereas the enclave’s inhabitants of two million are resettled in international locations similar to Egypt and Jordan.
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Trump: ‘We’ll personal Gaza’
On Friday, Egypt’s overseas minister Badr Abdelatty mentioned he had contacted Arab companions together with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to bolster the area’s rejection of any displacement of Palestinians.
He mentioned they’d emphasised “the constants of the Arab position on the Palestinian cause, rejecting any measures aimed at displacing the Palestinian people from their land, or encouraging their transfer to other countries outside the Palestinian territories”.
‘Flagrant violation of worldwide legislation’
Arab nations need a two-state answer which might see a separate Palestinian homeland exist alongside the state of Israel.
Displacing Palestinians can be a “flagrant violation of international law, an infringement on Palestinian rights, a threat to security and stability in the region and an undermining of opportunities for peace and coexistence among its peoples”, an announcement from Egypt’s overseas ministry mentioned.
As a substitute, Egypt and different Arab nations have been methods to rebuild and clear up Gaza after Israel’s army marketing campaign, which has devastated a lot of the territory within the aftermath of Hamas’ assault on Israel on 7 October 2023.
The assault noticed round 1,200 Israelis massacred and round 250 individuals taken hostage.
Israel’s battle in Gaza has killed greater than 47,000 individuals, in accordance with the Hamas-run well being ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.
The diplomatic spat comes as three Israeli hostages, who appeared skinny and frail, have been launched by Hamas in return for 183 Palestinian prisoners.