Donald Trump has insisted “everybody loves” his plan for the United States to “take over” the Gaza Strip and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents.
The deeply controversial proposal by the new US president to make the small strip of land “the Riviera of the Middle East” sparked an immediate backlash from American allies and adversaries alike.
But despite the condemnation from allies, Trump on Wednesday stood by the deeply controversial proposal, telling reporters from the Oval Office: “Everybody loves it.”
His aides sought to defend the idea, despite the backlash - including from Britain, which has rejected the proposal - with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt hailing it as "historic" and "outside of the box".
However, Ms Leavitt said the proposal would be for temporary relocation of Palestinian citizens while rebuilding efforts were ongoing, and that Trump had not committed to putting US troops on the ground.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer said: “I have from the last few weeks two images fixed in my mind.
“The first is the image of Emily Damari reunited with her mother which I found extremely moving.
“The second was the image of thousands of Palestinians walking through the rubble to try to find their homes and communities in Gaza.
“They must be allowed home, they must be allowed to rebuild, and we should be with them with that rebuild on the way to a two-state solution.”
He was responding to a question from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey who branded Trump’s comments “dangerous”.
The US President’s plan appears certain to heighten tensions ahead of further talks meant to extend the tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza.
Talks are ramping up this week with the promise of surging humanitarian aid and reconstruction supplies to help the people of Gaza recover after more than 15 months of devastating conflict.
Now Trump wants to push roughly 1.8 million people to leave the land they have called home and claim it for the US, perhaps with American troops.
He outlined his thinking as he held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, where the two leaders also discussed the fragile ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israeli-Hamas conflict and shared concerns about Iran.
“I don’t think people should be going back,” Trump said.
“You can’t live in Gaza right now. I think we need another location. I think it should be a location that’s going to make people happy.”
Trump also said the US would take ownership of the Gaza Strip and redevelop it after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere and turn the territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East” in which the “world’s people”- including Palestinians - would live.
“We’ll make sure that it’s done world class,” Trump said. “It’ll be wonderful for the people - Palestinians, Palestinians mostly, we’re talking about.”
But his plan was condemned by China, France, Germany and many other countries around the world.
Egypt, Jordan and other US allies in the Middle East have warned Trump that relocating Palestinians from Gaza would threaten Middle East stability, risk expanding the conflict and undermine a decades-long push by the US and allies for a two-state solution.
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.
Similarly, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Canberra, Australia that his country has long supported a two-state solution in the Middle East and that nothing had changed.
“Australia’s position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year, as it was 10 years ago,” he said.
Trump’s comments also sparked a backlash from Democrat politicians in the US.
Maryland Sen Chris Van Hollen called the plan “ethnic cleansing by any other name”.
Democratic Representative Jake Auchinclosee said it was “reckless and unreasonable”.
“We have to look at Trump’s motives,” he added. “As always, when Trump proposes a policy item, there is a nepotistic, self-serving connection.”
Referring to Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, he said: “They want to turn this into resorts.”
Trump has already made waves - and upset long-time 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.
Trump insisted the Palestinians “have no alternative” but to leave the “big pile of rubble” that is Gaza. He spoke out as his top aides stressed that a three-to-five-year timeline for reconstruction of the war-torn territory, as laid out in a temporary truce agreement, is not viable.
Last week, both Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Jordanian King Abdullah II dismissed Trump’s calls to resettle Gazans.
But the US President said he believes Egypt and Jordan - as well as other countries, which he did not name - will ultimately agree to take in Palestinians.
He also said he is not ruling out deploying US troops to support reconstruction of Gaza.
