By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza in remarks in early February while also suggesting a permanent displacement of Palestinians from the enclave.
The plan was condemned globally, with Palestinians, Arab nations, the U.N. and rights experts saying it was tantamount to “ethnic cleansing.”
Following is a timeline showing how Trump’s comments have evolved since he first proposed displacing Palestinians on January 25:
JANUARY 25: FIRST SUGGESTION OF PALESTINIAN DISPLACEMENT
Five days after becoming president, Trump said Jordan and Egypt should take in Palestinians from Gaza while suggesting openness to this being a long-term plan.
“I’d like Egypt to take people, and I’d like Jordan to take people (from Gaza),” Trump said, adding he spoke that day with Jordan’s King Abdullah.
“It’s literally a demolition site … so I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where they (Palestinians) can maybe live in peace for a change,” Trump said, adding: “We just clean out that whole thing.”
THREE REITERATIONS IN FOLLOWING WEEK
Trump reiterated this plan on January 27, 30 and 31, and added that he expected Egypt and Jordan to agree to it, even as they rejected the proposal.
“I think he (Egypt’s president) would do it, and I think the king of Jordan would do it, too,” Trump said on January 27.
FEBRUARY 4 AFTERNOON: SUGGESTION OF PERMANENT DISPLACEMENT
Before his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on February 4, Trump suggested permanently displacing Palestinians from Gaza, saying people there had no alternative but to leave the enclave devastated by U.S. ally Israel’s military assault that has caused a dire humanitarian situation and killed tens of thousands.
“I think they (Gazans) should get a good, fresh, beautiful piece of land, and we get some people to put up the money to build it,” Trump told reporters. “I don’t know how they could want to stay (in Gaza),” he said.
Forced displacement is illegal under international law.
FEBRUARY 4 EVENING: U.S. TAKEOVER PROPOSAL
In a press conference with Netanyahu, Trump proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza, saying: “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip. … We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.”
He said Washington will ask neighboring countries with “humanitarian hearts” and “great wealth” to take in Palestinians. He said those countries will pay for rebuilding Gaza and housing displaced Palestinians.
When asked if U.S. troops will be sent, Trump said: “If it’s necessary, we’ll do that.” When asked who will live in Gaza, Trump said: “I envision world people living there, … Palestinians also.”
FEBRUARY 5: TRUMP AIDES WALK BACK SOME OF HIS STATEMENTS
While defending Trump’s proposal, his top aides walked back some of his words about permanently displacing Palestinians and using the U.S. military.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Palestinians should be “temporarily relocated” while Gaza is rebuilt and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Palestinians will leave Gaza for an “interim” period. Leavitt said Trump had not committed to putting “boots on the ground.”
FEBRUARY 6: TRUMP SAYS NO U.S. SOLDIERS NEEDED IN GAZA
Trump posted on social media: “The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting. The Palestinians … would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region.” He added: “No soldiers by the U.S. would be needed!”
FEBRUARY 10: TRUMP SAYS PALESTINIANS HAVE NO RIGHT OF RETURN
In a Fox News interview with anchor Bret Baier, Trump was asked if Palestinians will have a right of return under his plan. He replied: “No, they wouldn’t because they’re going to have much better housing.” He added: “I’m talking about building a permanent place for them.”
FEBRUARY 11: TRUMP MEETS JORDAN’S KING
“We will have Gaza. No reason to buy. There is nothing to buy. It’s Gaza. It’s a war-torn area. We’re going to take it. We’re going to hold it. We’re going to cherish it,” Trump said on the day he met Jordan’s king in Washington. The king reiterated his opposition.
On the same day, Trump was asked if he was going to withhold aid to Egypt and Jordan, which both rely on Washington for economic and military assistance.
He said: “You know, I think we’ll do something. I don’t have to threaten with money … I do believe we’re above that.”
APRIL 7: TRUMP’S SECOND U.S. MEETING WITH NETANYAHU
“I think it’s an incredible piece of important real estate,” Trump said about Gaza when he met Netanyahu again at the White House, more than two months after his initial Gaza takeover proposal.
“And I think it’s something that we would be involved in, but you know having a peace force like the United States there, controlling and owning the Gaza Strip, would be a good thing.”
He said: “And if you take the people, the Palestinians, and move them around to different countries, and you have plenty of countries that will do that.” Trump added: “A lot of people like my concept. But you know, there are other concepts that I like too and there are some concepts I don’t like.”
Arab leaders in March adopted a $53 billion Egyptian reconstruction plan that would avoid displacing Palestinians from Gaza. Trump and Israel rejected it at the time.
JULY 7: TRUMP’S THIRD U.S. MEETING WITH ISRAELI PM
When asked about displacing Palestinians, Trump initially demurred to Netanyahu and said the countries around Israel were helping out. “We’ve had great cooperation from … surrounding countries. … So something good will happen,” Trump said.
Netanyahu himself said Israel was working with Washington to find other countries to agree to such a plan.
“If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,” Netanyahu said. “We’re working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will seek to realize what they always say, that they wanted to give the Palestinians a better future. I think we’re getting close to finding several countries.”
Washington has for decades backed a two-state solution between the Israelis and the Palestinians to create a state for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza alongside Israel. Trump said, “I don’t know” when he was asked if that solution was possible and referred the question to Netanyahu.
Netanyahu said: “I think the Palestinians should have all the powers to govern themselves, but none of the powers to threaten us. That means a sovereign power, like overall security, will always remain in our hands.”
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Don Durfee, Edwina Gibbs, Nia Williams and Michael Perry)
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