In his first meeting with a foreign leader since the start of his second term two weeks ago, Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a summit at the White House. Speaking in the Oval Office and then in a press briefing after meeting privately with Netanyahu, Trump put forward the idea of moving all of the Palestinians out of Gaza and for the strip of land to come under the control of the United States. He described the area in its current state as a “hellhole” and a “demolition site,” inviting the reporters in front of him to imagine its future as “the riviera of the Middle East.”
“We’re talking about probably a million-seven people, maybe a million-eight,” Trump said from the Oval Office, flanked by Netanyahu and Vice President J.D. Vance. “I think they’ll be resettled in areas where they can live a beautiful life and not worry about dying every day.” After speaking privately with Netanyahu, Trump emerged to address reporters once again, elaborating his plan for Gaza. “The U.S. will take over the Gaza strip,” the president announced, “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. We’ll own it, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.” Later on, he called his self-described “phenomenal” vision “the riviera of the Middle East.”
The president did not elaborate on what this plan would mean for the establishment of a broadly recognized Palestinian state, nor on how it would affect the fate of Palestinians in the West Bank.
Trump also expressed his confidence that neighboring countries would take in Palestinians. “I have a feeling that despite them saying ‘no,’ […] that the king in Jordan and the general in Egypt will open their hearts,” the president said, “and will give us the kind of land that we need to get this done, and people can live in harmony and in peace.” Some 2.18 million Palestinian refugees already reside in Jordan, according to census data from 2016.
Article 49 of the Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute both prohibit the forced migration of peoples.
In the press conference after their private meeting, Netanyahu expressed support for Trump’s idea. “He sees a different future for that land that has been the focus of so much terrorism, so many attacks against us,” he said. “He’s exploring it with his people, with his staff. I think it’s something that could change history. and it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue.”
