WASHINGTON – The United States (US) appeared to retract its plan of taking over Gaza after the proposal revealed by President Donald Trump received massive criticism from across the world.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday said any transfer of people from Gaza would be temporary. On the other hand, the White House said there had been no commitment to sending US troops to the region.
Earlier, Trump expressed his intention to “take over” Gaza while the Palestinians will have to leave the area, a move that could reignite violence in the region where peace has recently returned following the a deal between Israel and Hamas.
He announced it while addressing a press conference along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that US troops will be deployed in the Gaza strip if needed. He said Gaza will be turned into the “Riviera of the Middle East” under his redevelopment plan.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it,” Trump said, adding that the move aimed to “supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area”.
“This was not a decision made lightly. Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent,” he said.
He hoped that displaced Palestinians in Gaza would “go to other countries of interest with humanitarian hearts”, though he suggested they would also continue living there.
The proposal drew backlash from world leaders as the opposed it stating that it would make the things worse.
Saudi Arabia rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposals regarding Gaza, saying that the relations with Israel could not be normalized without the establishment of a Palestinian state.
According to a foreign news agency report, Saudi Arabia’s response came after Trump suggested that Gaza residents should relocate to Egypt or Jordan.
Reacting to Trump’s recent statement about US control over Gaza, Saudi Arabia firmly rejected any attempt to displace Palestinians from their land.
In an official statement, the Saudi government reaffirmed that it would not establish relations with Israel without a Palestinian state.
