U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that his plan for taking control of the Gaza Strip “really works” but emphasized that he will not impose it.
“I will tell you how it should be done—it’s my plan. I think it’s the plan that really works. But I’m not forcing it. I’ll just stand back and recommend it,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade, as reported by Anadolu Agency.
Trump expressed surprise at the opposition from Jordan and Egypt regarding his proposal for Gaza, questioning their stance given the financial aid they receive from the U.S.
“We pay Jordan and Egypt billions of dollars a year, and I was a little surprised that they said such a thing,” he remarked.
He also suggested that if the people of Gaza were given a choice between remaining in the enclave or “living in a good community,” they would choose to leave.
“It’s a wonderful place,” Trump said about Gaza, adding, “I don’t know why Israel ever gave it up. Why did they give it up?”
Trump has previously proposed that the U.S. should “take over” Gaza and relocate its population, envisioning a rebuilt enclave as the “Riviera of the Middle East.” However, the idea has been widely rejected by the Arab world and other nations, with many condemning it as a form of ethnic cleansing.
