Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that President Donald Trump‘s Gaza plan, which includes resettling Palestinians in Gaza elsewhere and the U.S. taking ownership of the enclave, as the “only viable” option.
Newsweek has reached out to Israel’s Foreign Ministry for comment via email on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Soon after taking office last month, Trump suggested that Jordan and Egypt should take in more Palestinian refugees from Gaza in an effort to “clean out” the territory, a move that would strip Palestinians of their homeland, which is a cornerstone of their history, identity, and culture.
Days later, he announced that the U.S. would “take over the Gaza strip.” Trump’s plans have been unanimously rejected by Arab leaders, Palestinians, and international advocacy groups, many of whom liken the plan to ethnic cleansing.
Several Israeli officials have previously proposed relocating millions of Palestinians from Gaza to nearby Arab countries. Netanyahu’s latest comments indicate the country supports Trump’s proposal as negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the second phase of the ceasefire have yet to be finalized.
What To Know
Netanyahu spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem on Sunday, which kicked off the Trump official’s Middle East tour. He is set to speak with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia next week over Russia and Ukraine peace talks as the two countries continue to be at war.
Rubio, Trump’s chief foreign affairs adviser, agreed with Netanyahu’s stance on Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, saying: “Hamas cannot continue as a military or government force, and frankly, as long as it stands as a force that can govern or a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible. They must be eliminated, they must be eradicated.”
Later, the Israeli leader saidthat he and Trump share a “common strategy” for Gaza, the Associated Press reported. Trump has doubled down on his proposal of the Palestinian territory, vowing to turn it into a “Riviera of the Middle East” for the “world’s people.”
Netanyahu said the U.S.’s proposal for the enclave is “the only viable plan to enable a different future,” indicating Israel is in support of the removal of Palestinians from their land.
Netanyahu confirmed that he was aware of Trump’s proposal prior to the public announcement, saying, “This didn’t come as a surprise, we knew about it and discussed it beforehand.”
His comments come with nearly two weeks remaining in the first phase of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. The first phase has included six prisoner and hostage exchanges between the parties, with the latest taking place Saturday.
The next phase of the ceasefire comes 15 months after Hamas’ attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Since then, Israel has launched several ground and air operations in Gaza and closed off essential aid access points, killing more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The small enclave has been devastated by the war, bombings and a lack of humanitarian aid. At least 1.9 million people—about 90 percent of the population—have been internally displaced by Israeli bombardments, according to the United Nations.
The ceasefire, brokered last month, has allowed thousands of Palestinians to return to their destroyed homes in northern Gaza in recent weeks and enabled hostages taken from Israel to reunite with their families.
What People Are Saying
Representative Brandon Gill, a Texas Republican, wrote X, formerly Twitter, earlier this month: “President Trump is bringing peace to the Middle East, just as he promised. PROMISES KEPT.”
Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, on X earlier this month: “I have news for you – we aren’t taking over Gaza. But the media and the chattering class will focus on it for a few days and Trump will have succeeded in distracting everyone from the real story – the billionaires seizing government to steal from regular people.”
Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) said in a February 4 statement: “Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people, not the United States, and President Trump’s call to expel Palestinians from their land is an absolute non-starter. Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the entire Muslim world have made it clear that this delusional idea is unacceptable.”
It added: “If the Palestinian people were ever somehow forcibly expelled from Gaza, this crime against humanity would spark widespread conflict, put the final nail in the coffin of international law, and destroy what remains of our nation’s international image and standing.”
What Happens Next?
Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to meet on Monday to discuss the ceasefire’s second phase, according to the AP.
On Sunday, Trump said that “it will be Israel’s decision on what the next step is, in consultation with me.”
The post Netanyahu Calls Trump’s Gaza Plan ‘Only Viable’ Option appeared first on Newsweek.
