Trump says no right of return for Palestinians in Gaza under his plan for US 'ownership'
President Donald Trump said Palestinians in Gaza would not have a right to return under his plan for U.S. 鈥渙wnership鈥� of the war-torn territory, contradicting other officials in his administration who have sought to argue Trump was only calling for the temporary relocation of its population.
Less than a week after he floated his plan for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and turn it into 鈥渢he Riviera of the Middle East," Trump, in an interview with FOX News' Bret Baier that was set to air Monday, said 鈥淣o, they wouldn鈥檛鈥� when asked if Palestinians in Gaza would have a right to return to the territory. It comes as he has ramped up pressure on Arab states, especially U.S. allies Jordan and Egypt, to take in Palestinians from Gaza, who claim the territory as part of a future homeland.
鈥淲e鈥檒l build safe communities, a little bit away from where they are, where all of this danger is,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚n the meantime, I would own this. Think of it as a real estate development for the future. It would be a beautiful piece of land. No big money spent.鈥�
Arab nations have sharply criticized the Trump proposal, and Trump鈥檚 latest words were released a day before he is set to host Jordan鈥檚 King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday. In addition to concerns about jeopardizing the long-held goals of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Egypt and Jordan have privately raised security concerns about welcoming large numbers of additional refugees into their countries even temporarily.
Trump's comments risked jeopardizing the already tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza after 15 months of war, with the existing framework for negotiations calling for the massive humanitarian and reconstruction assistance for civilians in Gaza.
After Trump's initial comments last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Secretary of State Marco Rubio respectfully insisted that Trump only wanted Palestinians relocated from Gaza 鈥渢emporarily鈥� and for an 鈥渋nterim鈥� period to allow for debris removal, the disposal of unexploded ordnance and reconstruction.
Trump last week didn't rule out deploying U.S. troops to help secure the territory but at the same time insisted no U.S. funds would go to pay for the reconstruction of Gaza, raising fundamental questions about the nature of his plan.
Video below: CAIR director responds to Trump's Gaza comments
Egypt on Monday reiterated its rejection to the transfer of Palestinians from their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, warning that such proposals threaten 鈥渢he foundations of people鈥� in the Middle East.
In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem its capital is the base for 鈥渃omprehensive and just peace鈥� in the region.
The statement said Egypt rejects any violations to the Palestinians鈥� 鈥渞ight of self-determination 鈥� and independence,鈥� and 鈥渦pholds the right of return for Palestinian refugees who were forced to leave their homeland,鈥� in a reference to hundreds of thousands who were forced to flee their homes in what is now Israel during the 1948 war.
A senior Hamas official blasted Trump鈥檚 latest remarks about the U.S. ownership of Gaza as 鈥渁bsurd.鈥�
Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas' politico bureau, said these comments 鈥渞eflect a deep ignorance of Palestine and the region.鈥�
In comments released by Hamas early Monday, he said Trump鈥檚 approach toward the Palestinian cause will fail.
鈥淒ealing with the Palestinian cause with the mentality of a real estate dealer is a recipe for failure,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur Palestinian people will thwart all transfer and deportation plans.鈥�