President Donald Trump's suggestion the US ‘take over' the Gaza Strip is rejected by allies and adversaries alike
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — President Donald Trump's proposal that the United States 'take over' the Gaza Strip and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents was swiftly rejected and denounced on Wednesday by American allies and adversaries alike.
Trump's suggestion came at a White House news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who smiled several times as the president detailed a plan to build new settlements for Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip, and for the U.S. to take 'ownership' in redeveloping the war-torn territory into 'the Riviera of the Middle East.'
'The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,' Trump said. 'We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs.'
The comments came amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, during which the militant group has been turning over hostages in exchange for the release of prisoners held by Israel.
Egypt, Jordan and other American allies in the Middle East have already rejected the idea of relocating more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza elsewhere in the region. Following Trump's remarks, Egypt's Foreign Ministry issued a statement stressing the need for rebuilding 'without moving the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip.'
Saudi Arabia, an important American ally, weighed in quickly on Trump's expanded idea to take over the Gaza Strip in a sharply worded statement, noting that its long call for an independent Palestinian state was a 'firm, steadfast and unwavering position.'
'The kingdom of Saudi Arabia also stresses what it had previously announced regarding its absolute rejection of infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian lands or efforts to displace the Palestinian people from their land,' the statement said.
The prime ministers of Australia and Ireland, foreign ministries from China, New Zealand and Germany, and a Kremlin spokesman all reiterated support for a two-state solution.
'Australia's position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year, as it was 10 years ago,' Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
Trump has already made waves — and upset longtime allies — suggesting the purchase of Greenland, the annexation of Canada and the possible takeover of the Panama Canal. It was not immediately clear whether the idea of taking over the Gaza Strip was a well thought out plan, or an opening gambit in negotiations.
'The comments last night were, of course, very concerning,' said Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. 'I always adopt the approach when it comes to the U.S. administration of: judge them based on what they do and not what they say.'
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told state-run Anadolu Agency that Trump's proposal on 'deportations from Gaza is not something that either the region or we would accept.'
'Even thinking about it, in my opinion, is wrong and absurd,' Fidan said.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the United Nations to 'protect the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights,' saying that what Trump wanted to do would be 'a serious violation of international law.'
Hamas, which sparked the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, said Trump's proposal was a 'recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region.'
'Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished,' the militant group said in a statement.
In its attack on Israel, Hamas killed some 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and took about 250 hostages.
Israel's ensuing air and ground war has has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to local health authorities who do not say how many of the dead were fighters. The war has left large parts of several cities in ruins and displaced around 90% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people.
In the U.S., opposition politicians quickly rejected Trump's idea, with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons calling his comments 'offensive and insane and dangerous and foolish.'
The idea 'risks the rest of the world thinking that we are an unbalanced and unreliable partner because our president makes insane proposals,' Coons said, noting the irony of the proposal coming shortly after Trump had moved to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development.
'Why on earth would we abandon decades of well-established humanitarian programs around the world, and now launch into one of the world's greatest humanitarian challenges?' Coons said.
Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian American member of Congress from Michigan, accused Trump in a social media post of 'openly calling for ethnic cleansing' with the idea of resettling Gaza's entire population.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
34 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Trump curbs immigration enforcement at farms, meatpacking plants, hotels and restaurants
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration directed immigration officers to pause arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels , after President Donald Trump expressed alarm about the impact of aggressive enforcement, an official said Saturday. The move follows weeks of increased enforcement since Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and main architect of Trump's immigration policies, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers would target at least 3,000 arrests a day, up from about 650 a day during the first five months of Trump's second term.
USA Today
35 minutes ago
- USA Today
Flag Day 2025: Here's the right way to celebrate the American flag
Flag Day 2025: Here's the right way to celebrate the American flag On June 14, we will not only be saluting the Army's 250th year with President Donald Trump's military parade in downtown Washington, D.C., we will also be celebrating America's symbol of freedom: the American flag. A flag resolution was adopted 248 years ago, on June 14, 1777, that said, "Resolved: that the flag of the United States be made of 13 stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation," according to the Smithsonian. Since President Woodrow Wilson declared June 14 Flag Day in May 1916, the United States has honored the adoption of the stars and stripes in a number of ways, including carrying the flag in parades, displaying it outside homes and holding other patriotic events. Before 1916, a number of states and cities had started to observe the day. Though it's observed nationally, Flag Day is not a federal holiday. Pennsylvania recognizes it as a state holiday. More than 100 years after the Continental Congress approved the flag, Flag Day was first observed in 1877. President Harry Truman established Flag Day as a national holiday in 1949. Army's 250th birthday parade: How to celebrate Army's 250th year – and (unofficially) Trump's birthday America's flag throughout history The 50 stars and 13 stripes that make up the U.S. flag will celebrate its 65 birthday on July 4. Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, and on July 4, 1960, the flag's new design was officially adopted. More: Country singers and parade celebrate Army – and (unofficially) Trump's birthday Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. What do the American flag's colors represent? The colors red, white and blue did not have meanings when the flag was adopted in 1777. However, when the Congress of the Confederation chose red, white and blue for the Great Seal of the United States in 1782, the meanings were listed as: More: Military parade is coming to D.C. Officials give a preview. How to properly display the American flag Flag etiquette has been in place for many years to ensure the flag is treated with respect. Congress established the U.S. Flag Code in 1942, which outlines standards for flag care and display. Except in situations when there is imminent danger to life or property, the American flag should not be flown with the union down, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. A flag should never touch the ground. No other flag may be flown above or to the right of the U.S. flag, except at United Nations headquarters. Citizens may fly the flag at any time but preferably from sunrise to sunset − except for special occasions or when well lighted. When a flag becomes unfit to fly, it should be destroyed with dignity. How to properly fold the American flag A traditional triangular method is used to fold the American flag. According to the American Legion, the origins of the triangular fold are unknown, but some sources attribute it to the Gold Star Mothers of America or a chaplain stationed at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Here's how its done: SOURCE The American Legion; National Flag Foundation; National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution; USA TODAY research CONTRIBUTING Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, and Evan Sasiela, USA TODAY Network This story was updated to add new information.
New York Times
35 minutes ago
- New York Times
Live Updates: Protesters Fill Streets Across the U.S. to Oppose Trump Policies
Pinned Protesters filled plazas, streets and parks across the country on Saturday, mounting a mass mobilization that called for protecting American democracy from a president that many demonstrators decried as authoritarian. The protests set off in waves as the day progressed, in small towns and major cities including New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston and Atlanta, beginning hours before President Trump was set to host a military parade in Washington. The No Kings events in all 50 states were animated by the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, domestic military mobilization, federal spending cuts and the parade, which was coinciding with the president's 79th birthday. Many demonstrators struck patriotic themes, waving American flags, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance or carrying signs referencing the nation's founding fathers. Carlie Woods, 21, protesting with her father and sister in Springfield, Mass., said she had nearly lost her voice from cheering as she carried a sign featuring an American flag and a 'Power to the People' message. 'A lot of times it can feel very doom and gloom,' she said, 'but this makes you feel like you're not alone, to be around so many people fighting for our future.' Speakers at a rally outside the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minn., paid tribute to State Representative Melissa Hortman, the Democratic lawmaker who was assassinated overnight by a person pretending to be a police officer. Organizers called off other rallies in the state as investigators said the attacker, who remained at large, may have also planned to target the protests. Hours later, the authorities in Texas evacuated the State Capitol and its grounds 'out of an abundance of caution' after receiving what they described as a credible threat toward state legislators who were expected to attend the protest in Austin. Organizers of the No Kings demonstrations called on participants to focus on 'nonviolent action.' In Houston, some demonstrators handed out flowers to police officers who were securing the route of the protest. In Chicago, the police superintendent helped a woman who tripped on the street near him. While many of the events drew large crowds, conflicts were rare: Police in a heavily Hispanic neighborhood of northern Atlanta deployed tear gas into a crowd of demonstrators who were headed toward a highway, and police in Charlotte, N.C., sprayed a chemical irritant at protesters attempting to move past a line of officers. The protests come amid building outrage over raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Los Angeles that led to mass demonstrations and conflicts with law enforcement. The city has emerged as the epicenter of anxiety over immigration enforcement and has seen days of sustained protests; the authorities there said they were bracing for crowd sizes on Saturday that could be 'unprecedented.' Some 2,000 events were planned from coast to coast. In Atlanta, thousands of people packed into Liberty Plaza, carrying signs that included the message 'Stop Trump's Terrorism' and singing a rendition of 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' adjusted with the words 'Take Trump out of the White House.' In Greenville, Ohio, where Democrats are rare, protesters gathered even as police warned that anyone blocking the road would go to jail. Here's what else to know: Military parade: No Kings organizers avoided calling for demonstrations in Washington, where the military parade was set to go on despite a forecast of possibly severe storms. Mr. Trump warned that anyone seeking to protest at the parade would be met with 'very big force.' The speakers: In Newark, U.S. Representative LaMonica Mclver stood in front of a statue of Abraham Lincoln outside the Essex County courthouse and struck a tone of defiance. Ms. Mclver, who faces federal charges related to a confrontation at a migrant detention center last month, said she would not be silenced or intimidated. 'We have to be on the front lines to fight for democracy,' she said. In Philadelphia, Martin Luther King III told the crowd, 'We will not let democracy die on our watch.' Los Angeles crackdown : In the months before the immigration raids in Los Angeles, the Trump administration and immigrant rights groups had been preparing for conflict. Then the message arrived: 'ICE is here,' one father wrote. 'They're going to take us.' Read more › Shifting priorities: The Trump administration recently shifted the focus of its mass deportation campaign, telling immigration officials to largely pause raids and arrests in hotels, restaurants and the agricultural industry. Read more ›
