JERUSALEM, Israel – On a historic day at the White House, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States would take over the Gaza Strip. The impact of the presidential announcement is already changing the face of the Middle East.
Trump greeted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House during a stunning day of changes for Israel and the region. At a joint conference with the prime minister, Trump dropped the bombshell:
"The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site. Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out – create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area. Do a real job. Do something different. Just can't go back. If you go back, it's going to end up the same way it has for 100 years," he declared.
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A Hamas spokesman slammed the “American racist stance," saying its aim is “displacing our people and eliminating our cause.”
However, one Israeli leader called the idea a "miracle," and opposition leader Benny Gantz called Trump's initiative creative and original thinking.
The president claimed the situation presents a rare moment for action.
“We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal," he said, "and I don't want to be cute. I don't want to be a wise guy. But the Riviera of the Middle East – this could be something that could be so be so magnificent. But more importantly than that is (that) the people that have been absolutely destroyed that live there now can live in peace in a much better situation because they are living in hell. And those people will now be able to live in peace. We'll make sure that it's done world-class. It'll be wonderful for the people, Palestinians – Palestinians, mostly, we're talking about.”
Netanyahu maintained that Israel's war goals remain the same.
"As we discussed, Mr. President, to secure our future and bring peace to our region, we have to finish the job. In Gaza, Israel has three goals: destroying Hamas's military and governing capabilities, secure the release of all of our hostages, and ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”
Trump also says he'll announce his stand on a potential Israeli annexation of Judea and Samaria, known by some as the West Bank, in four weeks. Declaring sovereignty over Israel's biblical heartland is a move many Israelis would welcome.
In their talks, the U.S. and Israeli leaders discussed a normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia. The Saudis put out a statement saying there would be no normalizations without a Palestinian state.
In addition to these developments, Trump announced other major initiatives, including an executive order reinstating "maximum pressure" on Iran. He said, "Iran can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon."
This week, he also signed an executive order defunding UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and withdrew the United States from the U.N. Human Rights Council.
Still, his Gaza declaration carries the most weight because it has an immediate impact on the region.
WATCH: Trump & Netanyahu's Full Press Conference
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