Trump to ‘Post’: Gazan relocation plan will happen, Egypt and Jordan won’t say no
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump told The Jerusalem Post that he believed Jordan and Egypt “won’t tell [him] no” when asked to welcome Gazan refugees during his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
“They won’t tell me no. I want to remove all the residents of Gaza,” he responded, “It will happen.”.
“Look, the Gaza thing has not worked. It’s never worked. And I feel very differently about Gaza than a lot of people. I think they should get a good, fresh, beautiful piece of land, and we get some people to put up the money to build it and make it nice and make it habitable and enjoyable,” he said in an earlier statement.
He described the area as a “pure demolition site,” stating that he would find the right piece – or pieces – of land to build a new home for Gazans.
Trump stated that he believed if given the chance, Gazans would choose to leave.
“They have no alternative right now. I mean, they’re there because they have no alternative. What do they have? It is a big pile of rubble right now. I mean, have you seen the pictures of it? Have you been there? It’s terrible to live. Who can live like that?”
Trump and Netanyahu Oval Office meeting
In his Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said he did not believe Gazans would ever want to return once a new home would be provided.
He said he would like to see an agreement to “resettle people permanently in nice homes and where they can be happy and not be shot, not be killed.”
Trump further told the Post that the Muslim countries “won’t refuse me.” He added that there are “approximately 1.8 million people [in Gaza], and they can all live somewhere where they will have great lives without fearing for their lives every day.”