 "Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands with US President Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, US, September 15, 2020. File Image/Reuters")
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed US President Donald Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza, calling it the “first good idea” he has heard regarding the war-torn region. “The actual idea of allowing first Gazans who want to leave to leave. I mean, what’s wrong with that?” the Israeli premier told Fox News on Wednesday.
“They can leave, and they can then come back, they can relocate and come back. But you have to rebuild Gaza. If you want to rebuild Gaza you can’t have … this is the first good idea that I’ve heard. It’s a remarkable idea. And I think it should be really pursued and examined, pursued and done. I think it will create a different future for everyone," he added.
Trump stirred major controversy on Tuesday after he suggested that the United States should take over Gaza and move “all” Palestinians living in the coastal enclave. Trump went on to insist that roughly 2 million Gazans would be relocated to neighbouring countries in a transitional phase and indicated that they would not be granted the right to return. The remarks did not sit well with several arab allies of Washington.
The backlash forced the White House to backtrack on Trump’s remarks as they said that the relocation of the Palestinians would be temporary. In the Wednesday interview, Netanyahu lauded Trump’s ambition to make Gaza “the Riviera of the Middle East”. “I think it’s something that could change history and it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue," the Israeli premier averred.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN thinks otherwise
While Netanyahu lauded Trump’s plan, Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations noted that Palestinians shouldn’t be forcibly removed from the coastal enclave. Although the Israeli officials did back Trump’s idea of the US taking over Gaza.
“I think we all agree that it should require the consent — consent of people to move out from where they live, and the consent for other countries to receive them,” Danon told CNN on Wednesday.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsDanon went on to admit that he is not certain how Trump’s plan will be implemented. Palestinians are “doomed to stay where they are” if other proposals don’t come forward, as Israel will not allow Hamas to hold power in Gaza. “If Hamas will stay there, it’s only a matter of time that we will have to attack Gaza again,” he added.
Arab allies slam Trump’s plan
Despite the damage control by the White House, Arab allies have not yet viewed Trump’s proposal as constructive. In the middle of the night, Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued a statement reaffirming its “complete rejection of any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian lands or attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land.”
Meanwhile, Jordan’s King Abdullah told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that he and his country reject “any attempts to annex lands and displace Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank” and stressed “the need to establish the Palestinians on their land.”
It is pertinent to note that Trump is scheduled to meet the Jordanian king next week. He has also spoken to the Saudi crown prince by phone since taking office, but it is not clear whether the plans to take over Gaza were discussed.