Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed strong support for former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal regarding the Gaza Strip, stating that Israel is ready to implement it.
Speaking in a Fox News interview on Saturday, Netanyahu described Trump’s plan as the “first fresh idea in years”, arguing that it could reshape Gaza’s future.
Netanyahu, who was concluding his visit to Washington, defended the plan despite global criticism, particularly from the Middle East.
“Trump’s proposal has the potential to change everything in Gaza,” he said.
“All Trump is saying is: ‘I want to open the gate and give them an option to relocate temporarily while we rebuild the place physically.’”
Netanyahu emphasized that Trump never proposed sending U.S. troops to enforce the plan, adding:
“Guess what? We’ll do the job.”
Israel seized Gaza in 1967 and maintained a military presence until 2005 when it withdrew its troops and settlers.
Since 2007, when Hamas took control of Gaza, Israel has imposed a strict blockade on the territory.
The latest war, triggered by Hamas’ October 2023 attack on Israel, has been the most destructive conflict in the region’s history.
A Departure From Previous Strategies?
Netanyahu claims that Trump’s approach is a shift from past strategies that have failed to bring lasting stability.
“The old approach—where we leave and Gaza becomes a terrorist base again—doesn’t work. We need a new strategy,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that a major challenge would be finding a country willing to accept displaced Gazans.
For Palestinians, any mass relocation raises fears of a repeat of the Nakba (The Catastrophe)—the mass displacement that occurred during Israel’s creation in 1948.
Netanyahu dismissed allegations of forced eviction or ethnic cleansing, stating:
“Everybody calls Gaza the biggest open-air prison. Why are you keeping them in prison? Let them leave.”
What’s Next?
While Netanyahu remains firmly in favor of executing Trump’s proposal, international reactions remain divided, with strong opposition from many Arab nations.
The debate over Gaza’s future continues as the region grapples with ongoing violence and humanitarian concerns.
AFP
