US leader suggests displacement of Gaza residents in Arab countries

US President Donald Trump has suggested that Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab nations may take in more Palestinian refugees from Gaza, potentially clearing the area for a fresh start.

He made these remarks during a 20-minute question-and-answer session with reporters aboard Air Force One on January 25, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Trump mentioned that he had spoken earlier that day with King Abdullah II of Jordan and was scheduled to speak with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi on January 26 about his broader vision for Gaza.

“I’d like Egypt to take people. You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know, it’s over,” Trump said.

Trump praised Jordan for successfully accepting Palestinian refugees and conveyed this to the king, “I’d love for you to take on more, cause I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess.” 

Such a large-scale displacement would directly challenge Palestinian identity and their deep ties to Gaza. However, Trump noted that the region has experienced "many, many conflicts" over the centuries and suggested that resettlement could be either temporary or long-term.

“Something has to happen,” Trump said. “But it’s literally a demolition site right now. Almost everything’s demolished, and people are dying there.”

He added: “So, I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations, and build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change.”  

On January 25, Axios reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to hold talks with US President Joe Biden in Washington during the first half of February.   On January 19, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that Trump played a key role in brokering the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.  

He emphasised that neither Trump nor the administration of US ex-President Joe Biden pressured Israel into making such a decision against its will. The foreign minister said that the two countries worked together to achieve a very important goal.

By Naila Huseynova