“Where basically the United States would view it as a real estate transaction, where we’ll be an investor in that part of the world. And no rush to do anything,” Trump said.
“We wouldn’t need anybody there. It would be supplied and given to us by Israel. They’ll watch it, in terms of security. We’re not talking about boots on the ground or anything, but I think we’ll — the fact that we’re there, that we have an investment there, I think would go a long way to creating peace.”
The president had stated the US “will take over” Gaza in a news conference earlier this week, prompting swift condemnation for one of the most stunning recent foreign policy suggestions by a sitting US president.
The White House press secretary announced Wednesday that Trump was advocating for a “temporary” resettlement of Palestinians, a view that, on its surface, appeared at odds with the plan Trump revealed a day earlier to “resettle people permanently” in a different area. He has suggested redeveloping the coastal enclave into a “Middle Eastern Riviera.”
The president noted in his comments Friday that the idea has been “very well-received,” but didn’t offer specifics. His suggestion has been roundly criticized by leaders in the Middle East and Europe.
Trump stated that he just wanted “to see stability” in Gaza and that it would “lead to great stability in the area for very little money, very little price.”
“We wouldn’t need soldiers at all, that would be taken care of by others,” he added.
