By Philomina Brando
US President Donald Trump has reignited controversy over his plans for the redevelopment of Gaza, describing the war-torn enclave as a “big real estate site” that the United States will “own” and “develop.”
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “I think that it’s a big mistake to allow people — the Palestinians, or the people living in Gaza — to go back yet another time, and we don’t want Hamas going back… Think of it as a big real estate site, and the United States is going to own it and we’ll slowly — very slowly, we’re in no rush — develop it.”
Trump’s comments have been met with widespread criticism from Palestinians and regional leaders, who have rejected his plans as “absurd” and a “recipe for failure.”
“Gaza is not a property that can be bought and sold, and it is an integral part of our occupied Palestinian land,” said Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has praised Trump’s plan as a “revolutionary, creative vision” that offers a new approach to the conflict in Gaza.
Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, has suggested that the president’s comments are intended to bring other players in the region to the table to find a solution. “Come to the table with your plan if you don’t like his plan,” Waltz said during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press”.
The controversy over Trump’s Gaza plan comes as the United Nations reports that 90% of Gaza residents have been displaced due to Israel’s war on Hamas.