Home US Donald Trump unveils radical plan for war-torn Gaza

Donald Trump unveils radical plan for war-torn Gaza

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President Donald Trump outlined an extraordinary plan for peace in the Middle East to get more than a million people out of Gaza, speaking to reporters from Air Force One on Saturday

President Donald Trump outlined an extraordinary plan for peace in the Middle East, moving more than a million people from Gaza, where a devastating war had left the Palestinian enclave in ruins, to homes in Jordan and Egypt.

“You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we’re just cleaning that whole thing up,” he told DailyMail.com aboard the presidential plane Air Force One on Saturday.

It was unclear whether he meant everyone had to get out. But the idea will be immediately controversial and fuel Arab fears of a plot to give Palestinian land to Israel.

But Trump, once a real estate magnate, saw the solution to the region’s conflict in construction and land, as he described a telephone conversation with Jordan’s King Abdullah earlier in the day.

He said he had asked him to take in more Palestinian refugees from a region embroiled in war.

‘You know that there have been many conflicts over the centuries. And I don’t know, something has to be done,” he said in response to DailyMail.com’s questions during a 20-minute question-and-answer session on the presidential plane with his traveling press pool.

“It’s literally a demolition site, almost everything is being demolished and people are dying, so I would rather get involved with some Arab countries and build housing in a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change.”

He said he will make the same request to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during their conversation on Sunday.

President Donald Trump outlined an extraordinary plan for peace in the Middle East to get more than a million people out of Gaza, speaking to reporters from Air Force One on Saturday

Trump wants to expel more than a million people from Gaza, where a devastating war has left the Palestinian enclave in ruins. In the photo, Palestinians, expelled to southern Gaza on Israeli orders during the war, dismantle their tent as they wait for permission to return to their home in northern Gaza amid a ceasefire fires between Israel and Hamas.

Trump wants to expel more than a million people from Gaza, where a devastating war has left the Palestinian enclave in ruins. In the photo, Palestinians, expelled to southern Gaza on Israeli orders during the war, dismantle their tent as they wait for permission to return to their home in northern Gaza amid a ceasefire fires between Israel and Hamas.

“You're talking about a million and a half people, and we're just cleaning that whole thing up,” he told DailyMail.com on Saturday aboard the presidential jet Air Force One.

“You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we’re just cleaning that whole thing up,” he told DailyMail.com on Saturday aboard the presidential jet Air Force One.

“I would like Egypt to take people,” he said. “And I’d like Jordan to bring people.”

Trump said it could be a temporary solution, but also that it could be for the longer term. But either way, the plan will likely be a hard sell to Israel’s Arab neighbors, who are reluctant to take in more refugees, and a hard sell to the people of Gaza, who fear they will never be able to return.

Speaking about the consequences of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, Trump said he complimented Abdullah for having already housed many Palestinian refugees.

“I would like you to take on more, because I look at the entire Gaza Strip now and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess.’

The president spoke after a rally-style speech in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he thanked voters for helping him win the state in the November election.

On Friday he visited disaster areas in North Carolina and California after a busy first week back in the office.

He defended his decision to fire more than a dozen inspectors general, who act as government watchdogs.

Palestinian children play next to a building destroyed by Israeli army attacks earlier this month in the town of Khan Younis in central Gaza Strip

Palestinian children play next to a building destroyed by Israeli army attacks earlier this month in the town of Khan Younis in central Gaza Strip

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters, including DailyMail.com, aboard Air Force One as he travels from Las Vegas to Miami Saturday afternoon

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters, including DailyMail.com, aboard Air Force One as he travels from Las Vegas to Miami Saturday afternoon

Trump, once a real estate magnate, sees the solution to the conflict in the region in construction and land, as he described a telephone conversation with Jordan's King Abdullah earlier in the day.

Trump, once a real estate magnate, sees the solution to the conflict in the region in construction and land, as he described a telephone conversation with Jordan’s King Abdullah earlier in the day.

An aerial photo taken by a drone shows Palestinians walking through the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Rafah, Gaza

An aerial photo taken by a drone shows Palestinians walking through the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Rafah, Gaza

This is what the beach in Gaza looked like before the war and earlier this week Trump said it was a 'phenomenal location' but said it looked like a 'huge demolition site'

This is what the beach in Gaza looked like before the war and earlier this week Trump said it was a ‘phenomenal location’ but said it looked like a ‘huge demolition site’

Critics called it a purge on Friday evening, but Trump portrayed it as a routine housecleaning by a new administration.

“I don’t know them… but some people thought some were dishonest, some were not doing their job and it was a very standard thing to do,” he told reporters aboard his plane.

“Just like the American lawyers.”

He also hinted that Saudi Arabia could be the destination for his first foreign trip.

“It could be Saudi Arabia, it could be Britain,” he said.

‘Traditionally it could be Britain. Last time I went to Saudi Arabia because they agreed to buy $450 billion worth of American merchandise.”

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