On Saturday, former President Donald Trump suggested that neighboring Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordan, should begin accepting Palestinians from Gaza. Trump envisions a large-scale relocation effort, saying, “We are talking about 1.5 million people. We’re just clearing out the entire area and saying—it’s done.”
Trump revealed that he had already discussed the proposal with Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Saturday and planned to raise the matter with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday. Additionally, Trump had previously spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman regarding the situation in Gaza.
“New Homes for Peace”
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump praised King Abdullah for hosting large numbers of Palestinians in Jordan. “I told him—I’d love it if you could take more Palestinians because I’m looking into Gaza, and the situation there is terrible. Absolutely terrible,” Trump said.
He elaborated on his plan to disperse Palestinians among various Arab nations, explaining, “We’re talking about 1 to 1.5 million people… we’ll clear it all out. It’s a site of devastation. Almost everything is destroyed, and people are dying there. I want to work with Arab countries to build homes elsewhere so that Palestinians can live in peace for a change.”
Temporary or Permanent Relocation
When asked if the relocation would be temporary or permanent, Trump responded, “It could be temporary, or it could be long-term.”
Supporting Israel’s Efforts in Gaza
Trump’s remarks come amid new directives from his administration to support Israeli operations in Gaza. The White House recently instructed the Pentagon to lift a freeze imposed by the Biden administration on the delivery of one-ton bombs to Israel.
According to Israeli newssite Walla, Israel was notified on Friday of the decision to unfreeze the shipment, which includes 1,800 MK-84 bombs weighing 907 kilograms each. The bombs, which had been in storage in the U.S. for months, are set to be shipped to Israel in the coming days.
The freeze, initially imposed by President Biden, was a response to concerns over the potential humanitarian impact of using one-ton bombs in Gaza’s densely populated residential areas. Biden had expressed fears that such weaponry could result in significant harm to innocent civilians.
Trump’s History of Pro-Israel Actions
This is not the first time Trump has taken significant steps in support of Israel. On his first day in office, Trump halted U.S. funding for UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
