US President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his belief that his plan for the Gaza Strip is the most effective solution but stated he would not impose it, Anadolu news agency reported.
“I’ll tell you how to do it; it is my plan. I think that’s the plan that works. But I’m not forcing it. I’m just going to sit back and recommend it,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade.
Trump also expressed surprise at the opposition from Jordan and Egypt, questioning their stance despite receiving substantial financial aid from the US.
“We pay Jordan and Egypt billions of dollars a year, and I was a little surprised they’d say that,” he remarked.
He further claimed that if Gaza’s residents were given a choice between remaining in the enclave or relocating, they would choose to leave.
“It’s a great location,” Trump said of Gaza, before questioning why Israel had ever relinquished control. “I don’t know why Israel ever gave that up. Why did they give it up?”
The US president has previously suggested that America should take over Gaza, resettle its population, and transform the region into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
However, his proposal has been widely condemned, with critics, including Arab nations, denouncing it as an act of ethnic cleansing.
