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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday defended US President Donald Trump’s proposal to displace Palestinians from Gaza, dismissing international criticism of the idea.
Trump’s suggestion that Palestinians in the enclave should be permanently relocated, along with his proposal for a US-led administration of Gaza, has drawn condemnation from human rights groups, who labelled it ethnic cleansing.
In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu did not explicitly address the idea of US control over Gaza but supported allowing Palestinians who wish to leave the territory to do so.
“I mean, what’s wrong with that? They can leave, they can then come back, they can relocate and come back. But you have to rebuild Gaza,” he said.
Netanyahu also stated he did not believe Trump was proposing to send US troops to fight Hamas in Gaza or to have Washington finance reconstruction efforts.
“This is the first good idea that I’ve heard,” he said. “It’s a remarkable idea, and I think it should be really pursued, examined, pursued and done, because I think it will create a different future for everyone.”
Since 25 January, Trump has repeatedly suggested that regional Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan should accept Palestinian refugees from Gaza, a proposal firmly rejected by both Arab states and Palestinian leaders.
Following widespread condemnation, Trump’s aides defended his plan but distanced themselves from certain elements of it.
Israel’s military assault on Gaza, now under a fragile ceasefire, has killed over 47,000 Palestinians in the past 16 months, according to the Gaza health ministry. The offensive has displaced nearly the entire population and triggered a severe hunger crisis. Israel has denied accusations of genocide and war crimes.
The latest escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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