FM: John Whitbeck
Transmitted below is the HAARETZ report on yesterday's
deranged, delusional and dangerous rant by President Trump.
Trump,
in Shock Announcement, Says U.S. Will Take Over
Gaza After Permanently Displacing Palestinians
WASHINGTON - U.S.
President Donald Trump made the shocking
announcement on Tuesday during a joint press
conference with visiting Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu that he will pursue a plan where the
U.S. assumes ownership of Gaza, shortly after
calling for the permanent displacement of the
Strip's residents.
"The U.S. will take over
the Gaza Strip and we'll do a good job with it
too. We'll own it and be responsible for
dismantling all the dangerous unexploded bombs and
other weapons on the site, level the site and get
rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out and
create economic development that will supply
unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the
people of the area," he said.
Trump stressed that "I
also strongly believe the Gaza Strip, which has
been a symbol of death and destruction for so many
decades and so bad for the people anywhere near it
and those who live there. It's been very unlucky
for a long time. being in its presence has just
not been good. It should not go through a process
of rebuilding and occupation by the same people
that have stood there and fought for it and lived
there and died there and lived a miserable
existence there."
Displaced Gazans
cross the Netzarim corridor from the southern
Gaza Strip into Gaza City, last week.Credit: AFP/Omar
al-Qattaa
"We should go to other
countries of interest with humanitarian hearts -
there are many of them that want to do this - and
build various domains that will ultimately be
occupied by the 1.8 million Palestinians of Gaza
ending the death and destruction and frankly bad
luck," he continued. "It could be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
7, 8, 12, numerous sites or one large site. But
the people will be able to live in comfort and
peace. They're going to have peace, not shot at,
killed and destroyed like this civilization of
wonderful people have had to endure."
When asked if this meant
that Trump would send U.S. troops to Gaza, he said
"if it's necessary, we'll do that. We're gonna
take over that piece and develop it, create
thousands and thousands of jobs. It will be
something the entire Middle East can be very proud
of."
"I see a long-term
ownership position and bringing great stability to
that part of the Middle East. Everybody I've
spoken to — this was not a decision made lightly —
everybody loves the idea of the US owning that
piece of land, developing and creating thousands
of jobs with something that will be magnificent in
a magnificent area nobody would really know. they
look and all they see is death and destruction and
rubble," he said. "I've studied this very closely
and I've seen it from every different angle. and
it's only going to get worse."
People walk past an
electronic billboard showing U.S. President
Donald Trump, shaking hands with Saudi Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Tel Aviv,
Israel, Monday.Credit: Ariel
Schalit,AP
Trump deemed Gaza "a
hellhole - it was before the bombing started
frankly. And we're going to give people a chance,"
adding that "I've spoken with other leaders in the
Middle East and they love the idea, they say it
will really bring stability."
Qualifying that he
didn't want to be "cute" or a "wise guy," he
described Gaza as the potential "riviera of the
Middle East. This could be so magnificent, but
more importantly is the people absolutely
destroyed can live in a much better situation."
"I envision the world's
people living there. You'll make it into an
international, unbelievable place. The entire
world will be there - Palestinians also - many
people will live there. They tried the other for
decades and decades, it's not gonna work."
Netanyahu immediately
endorsed the plan, saying "President Trump is
taking it to a much higher level. He sees a
different future for that piece of land that has
been the focus of so much terrorism and attacks
against us, so many trials and tribulations. He
has a different idea and it's worth paying
attention to this. He's exploring it and it's
something that could change history."
U.S. Special Envoy to
the Middle East Steve Witkoff, left, and U.S.
National Security Advisor Michael Walz, walk
back after speaking to the media outside the
West Wing of the White House, on Tuesday.Credit: Alex
Brandon/AP
The news was so shocking
that it distracted from the fact that Trump said
he would make a decision on Israel's potential
annexation of the West Bank within the next four
weeks — a potential paradigm shifting event for
the entire Middle East.
He additionally
expressed tacit support for the hostage deal,
saying "we're taking them out and we'll go into
phase 2, but we'd like to get all the hostages. If
we don't, it will make us somewhat more violent,
I'll tell you that, because they would have broken
their word."