ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE – President Donald Trump mentioned he wish to see Jordan, Egypt and different Arab nations improve the variety of Palestinian refugees they’re accepting from the Gaza Strip, doubtlessly displacing sufficient of the inhabitants to “clear up” the war-torn space to create a clear digital slate.
During a 20-minute question-and-answer session with reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump additionally mentioned he had ended his predecessor’s block on sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. This raises a stress level supposed to cut back civilian casualties throughout Israel’s struggle towards Hamas in Gaza, which is now halted by a tenuous ceasefire.
“We launched them at the moment,” Trump mentioned of the bombs. “They have been ready for them for a very long time.” Asked why he lifted the ban on these bombs, Trump replied: “Because they purchased them.”
Trump has constructed his political profession on being unapologetically pro-Israel. Regarding his broader imaginative and prescient for Gaza, Trump mentioned he would have a telephone name later at the moment with King Abdullah II of Jordan and would converse with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi on Sunday.
“I would really like Egypt to welcome the individuals, and I would really like Jordan to welcome the individuals,” Trump mentioned. “You’re speaking about in all probability one million and a half individuals, we simply have to scrub all of it up.”
Trump mentioned he complimented Jordan for efficiently accepting Palestinian refugees and instructed the king: “I want you’ll settle for extra, as a result of proper now I’m trying on the complete Gaza Strip, and it is a catastrophe . It’s an actual catastrophe.”
Such a drastic motion of individuals would overtly contradict the Palestinian identification and deep reference to Gaza. However, Trump mentioned the a part of the world that features Gaza has “had many, many conflicts” over the centuries. He mentioned resettlement “might be momentary or long-term.”
“Something has to occur,” Trump mentioned. “But proper now it is actually a scrap yard. Almost the whole lot has been demolished and individuals are dying there.” He added: “So, I’d moderately become involved with some Arab nations and construct housing in a special place, the place possibly they will reside in peace for a change.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a press release Sunday, thanked Trump for “conserving his promise to offer Israel the instruments it must defend itself.” He didn’t point out Trump’s suggestion about Palestinian refugees.
But Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi instructed reporters that his nation’s rejection of the proposed Palestinian relocation was “agency and unshakable.”
Sen. Lindsay Graham, a Trump ally, was requested on CNN’s “State of the Union” what Trump meant by his comment in regards to the Palestinians. “You know, I actually do not know,” mentioned Graham, R.S.C.
“The concept that each one the Palestinians are going to depart and go some place else, I do not assume is overly sensible,” Graham mentioned. He added, nevertheless, that Trump ought to proceed to speak to Middle Eastern leaders, together with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and officers from the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
“I do not know what you are speaking about. But go discuss to MBS, go discuss to the United Arab Emirates, go discuss to Egypt,” Graham mentioned. “What is their plan for the Palestinians? Do they need everybody to depart?”
In the previous, Trump has supplied nontraditional views on the way forward for Gaza. After taking workplace on Monday, he advised that Gaza “actually must be rebuilt another way.”
The new president then added: “Gaza is fascinating. It’s an outstanding location, on the ocean. The finest climate, you realize, the whole lot is gorgeous. It’s like some cool issues could be performed, nevertheless it’s very fascinating.
The resumption of supply of enormous bombs, in the meantime, represents a break with then-President Joe Biden, who halted supply in May as a part of an effort to stop Israel from launching an all-out assault on the town of Rafah, southern Gaza. A month later, Israel took management of the town, however after the overwhelming majority of the million civilians dwelling or sheltering in Rafah had fled.
“Civilians have been killed in Gaza on account of these bombs and different methods during which they assault inhabitants facilities,” Biden instructed CNN in May when he raised his weapons. “I’ve made it clear that in the event that they go to Rafah… I can’t present the weapons which have traditionally been used to cope with Rafah, to cope with the cities, which cope with that downside.”
Biden’s pause had additionally blocked 1,700 500-pound bombs that had been packed in the identical cargo to Israel, however weeks later these bombs have been delivered.
Trump’s motion comes as he celebrated the primary part of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel that paused preventing and noticed the discharge of some hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in trade for a whole bunch of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Negotiations on the harder second part of the deal, which might finally see the discharge of all hostages held by Hamas and a long-lasting halt to preventing, have but to start in earnest.
If the remaining hostages usually are not launched, the Israeli authorities has threatened to renew struggle towards Hamas, which launched an enormous assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Miller reported from Washington. Associated Press reporter Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.
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