A day after US President Donald Trump‘s polarising proposal to “take over” Gaza, Australian Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has praised the world leader as a “big thinker” with a “genuine desire to see peace”.
The remarks follow Trump’s widely criticised comments during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he proposed to “level” Gaza and turn it into a “Riviera of the Middle East” overseen by the US.
Speaking to 2GB radio, Dutton dismissed critics of Trump’s plan, arguing the billionaire president’s unconventional approach could break the Middle East deadlock. “He’s not become the President of the United States by being anything other than shrewd,” Dutton said.
“The art of the deal is important to him… that nobody’s ripping each other off.”
Dutton suggested Trump’s call for neighbouring countries like Egypt and Jordan to contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction was reasonable.
“He wants other countries in the region to step up and take responsibility, as he’s done with NATO and Europe asking them to spend more on their defence budgets to protect themselves instead of always relying on the United States,” Dutton said.
“Jordan and Egypt … will have to in his judgement contribute to the rebuild in the region, and I don’t think they’re unreasonable expectations…”
He added, “Why are [Americans] paying for peace in the Middle East… while their government spends their taxes on causes around the world?”
And while Dutton praised Trump’s comments, opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson reiterated on Thursday the party still supports a “two-state solution negotiated between the parties in Israel and Palestine”, per News.com.au.
“We would have to understand more about it, but it hasn’t changed our longstanding view,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trump’s team has been busy softening some of the proposal’s language after facing swift international condemnation. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the plan “historic” and “outside of the box” but stressed the US had not committed to deploying troops.
She clarified that Gazans would only need “temporary relocation” during reconstruction, backtracking on Trump’s initial suggestion of permanent resettlement.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio similarly described the relocation as “interim”, per Reuters, though neither official outlined how displaced Palestinians would return to a US-controlled Gaza.
The backlash for Trump’s announcement yesterday was immediate. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned against “any form of ethnic cleansing”, while Germany, China, and Brazil condemned the proposal as a violation of international law.
Saudi Arabia rejected it outright, calling it a threat to regional stability.
In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese avoided direct criticism, telling the ABC‘s News Breakfast he wouldn’t offer a “running commentary” on Trump’s shifting positions. “I’ve said that I’m not going to respond to every statement, every day, that is made,” he said.
He also told Sky News this morning that he still supports “a two-state solution in the Middle East, that’s been longstanding bipartisan policy”.
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) issued a sharper rebuke, demanding Australia formally recognise Palestinian statehood. “The conversations about annexing Gaza are unacceptable and catastrophic,” AFIC President Dr. Rateb Jneid said in a statement.
“They disregard international laws and the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people… Australia must lead with moral clarity.”
Over 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to local authorities, and Trump’s suggestion of permanent displacement has drawn comparisons to historical acts of ethnic cleansing.
With US officials still clarifying the plan’s details – and Trump insisting “everybody loves it” – the proposal remains as ambiguous as it is divisive.
Lead image: Getty Images
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