United States President Donald Trump has welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White Home, marking the primary go to of a international chief throughout his second time period.
However Tuesday’s assembly was steeped in controversy as Trump repeatedly weighed in on the way forward for war-torn Gaza — and whether or not Palestinians ought to return to dwell within the enclave.
“Gaza is a assure that they’re going to finish up dying. The identical factor goes to occur once more,” Trump stated. “It’s occurred again and again. And it’s going to occur once more.”
“So I hope we are able to do one thing the place they wouldn’t wish to return. Who would wish to return? They’ve skilled nothing however loss of life and destruction.”
Trump additionally recommended that the US goals to “take over” a depopulated Gaza, shaping its panorama for years to return.
“ I do see a long-term possession place, and I see it bringing nice stability to that a part of the Center East and perhaps your complete Center East,” Trump stated.
“This was not a call made frivolously. Everyone I’ve spoken to loves the concept of the US proudly owning that piece of land, growing and creating hundreds of jobs.”
A fragile ceasefire just lately paused hostilities in Gaza the place, for the previous 15 months, Israel has led a devastating navy marketing campaign that has killed an estimated 61,700 Palestinians.
United Nations consultants and human rights advocates have in contrast the navy marketing campaign with a genocide. However the US stays a agency ally of Israel – and of Netanyahu’s authorities.
In remarks after his bilateral assembly with Netanyahu, Trump returned to a imaginative and prescient he had outlined earlier within the day, during which Palestinians could be settled “completely” in “a fantastic space” outdoors of Gaza.
Such feedback have spurred fears that Trump would assist the ethnic cleaning of Gaza, and close by international locations like Egypt and Jordan have repeatedly rejected the prospect of absorbing Gaza’s inhabitants.
“I believe Jordan and Egypt – they are saying they’re not going to simply accept, however I say they’ll. However I believe different international locations will settle for additionally,” Trump stated.
An in depth ally
Tuesday’s bilateral assembly was set in opposition to a interval of regional turmoil within the Center East.
Current ceasefires have slowed hostilities in Lebanon and Gaza. A brand new authorities has risen in Syria. And there are rising tensions between Iran and Israel.
Earlier than arriving within the US on Sunday, Netanyahu underscored the symbolism of being the primary international head of state to go to Trump because the president’s second inauguration on January 20.
“I believe it’s a sworn statement to the energy of the Israeli-American alliance,” Netanyahu stated in a press release.
The 2 international locations indicated {that a} vary of matters could be on the desk for dialogue, together with the ceasefire agreements, the way forward for Gaza and efforts to normalise relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours.
Within the lead-up to Tuesday’s assembly, Trump additionally signed a sequence of govt orders and directives, a few of which pertained to targets he shares with Netanyahu.
One introduced the return of his “most strain” marketing campaign in opposition to Iran. One other noticed the US withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council and UNRWA, the aid company for Palestinian refugees.
Netanyahu’s authorities has accused UNRWA of involvement within the assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, with out providing proof to substantiate the declare.
The Israeli chief’s go to was greeted by protesters calling for a “free, free, free Palestine”.
Some activists denounced his invitation to the White Home as an honour bestowed on a “struggle prison”: In November, the Worldwide Prison Courtroom in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on fees of crimes in opposition to humanity and struggle crimes.
Nonetheless, Trump reaffirmed his dedication to Netanyahu at Tuesday’s information convention.
“The bonds of friendship and affection between the American and Israeli individuals have endured for generations, and they’re completely unbreakable,” Trump stated.
Netanyahu responded with reward of his personal: “You’re the best buddy Israel has ever had within the White Home.”
Ceasefire in Gaza
The tenuous ceasefire in Gaza was a central a part of the 2 leaders’ newest assembly.
Trump has repeatedly taken credit score for the ceasefire deal, which got here into impact on January 19, the day earlier than he took workplace. He blamed the international coverage of his predecessor Joe Biden for permitting the struggle in Gaza to start within the first place.
“No one did something for 4 years besides within the adverse,” Trump stated at one level, referring to Biden’s time period in workplace. “Sadly, the weak point and incompetence of these previous 4 years [caused] the grave harm across the globe.”
Nonetheless, Trump has forged doubt on the energy of the ceasefire and whether or not it will final.
“The strikes might begin tomorrow,” Trump stated on Tuesday. “There’s not lots left to strike.”
The preliminary 42-day truce, which is able to see the discharge of 33 Israeli captives and practically 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, expires on March 1.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Palestinian group Hamas stated that negotiations for a second section of the ceasefire have begun. If agreed to, that section would see the total withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the releasing of all captives.
However Trump lashed out on the group in his remarks, praising Israel’s efforts to chop off sources to Gaza.
“We starved Hamas and Iran’s different terrorist proxies, and we starved them like they’d by no means seen earlier than. Assets and assist disappeared for them,” Trump stated.
US to ‘take over’ Gaza?
The president additionally renewed his name for a mass displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, regardless of human rights consultants warning that it will quantity to ethnic cleaning.
“ It’s been an unfortunate place for a very long time,” Trump stated of Gaza. “ And it mustn’t undergo a technique of rebuilding and occupation by the identical those that have actually stood there and fought for it and lived there and died there and lived a depressing existence there.”
He added that Palestinians would “love to go away” if given an alternate.
“They need to get a very good, recent, lovely piece of land, and we [can] get some individuals to place up the cash to construct it and make it good and make it liveable and pleasing,” Trump defined.
He stopped in need of committing US sources to any such building effort, saying a brand new residence for Palestinians could possibly be ”paid for by neighbouring international locations of nice wealth”.
He did, nevertheless, suggest that the US would assert a presence in Gaza sooner or later.
“ The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we’ll do a job with it too. We’ll personal it and be accountable for dismantling all the harmful, unexploded bombs and different weapons on the location. Stage the location,” Trump stated.
“Stage it out and create an financial growth that can provide limitless numbers of jobs and housing for the individuals of the world.”
Earlier within the day, he had stated he wouldn’t essentially assist Israel taking Gaza itself: “Not essentially, no. I simply assist cleansing it up and doing one thing with it.”
The US has backed the Israeli offensive in Gaza, offering billions in navy help.
A hardline strategy to Iran
One other pillar of Tuesday’s assembly was methods to strategy Iran, which Netanyahu has portrayed as Israel’s best risk.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu chuckled as he recalled how Trump throughout his first time period determined to withdraw from the Joint Complete Plan of Motion (JCPOA), an settlement that might have seen Iran restrict its nuclear programme in favour of loosened sanctions.
Iran responded within the years since by escalating its nuclear programme.
“ You withdrew from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal. I keep in mind we spoke about it. You stated, ‘That is the worst deal I’ve ever seen,’” Netanyahu stated. “ I believe it speaks loudly for simply widespread sense.”
For his half, Trump performed up his determination to return to the “most strain” technique he pursued throughout his first time period.
“ We are going to as soon as once more implement probably the most aggressive doable sanctions, drive Iranian oil exports to zero and diminish the regime’s capability to fund terror all through the area and all through the world,” he stated.
US officers have argued that Iran and its allies like Hezbollah and Hamas have been “weakened” by the regional violence that broke out during the last yr.
Hezbollah has been dealt heavy blows after the Israeli bombardment of southern Lebanon. Hamas has misplaced its high navy and political leaders. And the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has collapsed.
Critics have warned, nevertheless, that Netanyahu might exploit this second to hunt US help in putting Iran’s nuclear services.
At a information convention on Tuesday, Nihad Awad, the manager director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), urged Trump to face up in opposition to any Israeli try and launch an offensive focusing on Iran.
“We hope that President Trump won’t be dragged and fooled by this struggle prison, Benjamin Netanyahu, to launch a struggle on Iran and destabilise the area additional,” Awad instructed reporters.
“President Trump has a golden alternative to place an finish to the struggling of the individuals within the area and maintain the Israeli leaders accountable as an alternative of celebrating them.”
Trump did depart the door open for diplomacy, saying that he’s “sad” to use renewed sanctions on Iran. He added that his solely pink line is that Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon.
“ I hated to do it, simply so that you perceive. And I hope we’re going to have the ability to do one thing in order that it doesn’t find yourself in a really catastrophic scenario. I don’t wish to see that occur,” Trump stated.
The US president has not dominated out talking to Iranian officers.
