WASHINGTON — Despite criticism from Arab leaders, US President Donald Trump has reiterated his desire to move Palestinians from Gaza to “safer” locations such as Egypt or Jordan, AFP reports.
The president had floated the idea to “clean out” Gaza after more than 15 months of Israel’s war had reduced the Palestinian territory to a “demolition site”.
Asked about those comments, Trump told reporters on Air Force One yesterday he has held talks in recent days with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who have historically opposed displacing Palestinians.
“I wish he would take some,” Trump said of al-Sisi. “We helped them a lot, and I’m sure he’d help us.”
“As they say, it’s a rough neighbourhood, but I think he would do it, and I think the king of Jordan would do it too,” he added.
Israel claims ‘eliminated’ 15 Palestinians in Jenin raid
The Israeli military has claimed it had “eliminated over 15 terrorists” and arrested 40 wanted people during a major raid that began last week in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, AFP reports.
The military claimed in a statement that during the Jenin operation troops seized dozens of weapons and “located an explosive device hidden inside a washing machine in one of the buildings in Jenin”.
Soldiers “also dismantled dozens of explosives planted beneath roads intended to attack troops”, it said.
During another operation, an “observation command centre was located, containing gas canisters intended for manufacturing explosive devices”, it further alleged.
Trump says would soon meet Netanyahu in Washington
US President Donald Trump has said he would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington “very soon”, according to AFP.
Calling on Egypt to take in more Palestinians, Trump said he would “like to get them living in an area where they can live without disruption and revolution and violence so much”.
“You know, when you look at the Gaza Strip, it’s been hell for so many years… there’s always been violence associated with it,” he said.
When pressed on what that would mean for a two-state solution, he said he would be meeting with Netanyahu “in the not too distant future”. “He’s coming here to meet with me,” he said. — Agencies
