WASHINGTON (UNITED STATES) (ITALPRESS) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a long talk at the White House with President Donald Trump to discuss the hostage deal in the conflict between Israel and Hamas and the next steps in the ceasefire. On the occasion, the tycoon suggested that displaced Palestinians in Gaza should be resettled “permanently” outside the war-torn territory. “I don’t think people should go back,” Trump said. “You can’t live in Gaza right now. I think we need another venue. I think it should be a venue that will make people happy.” “The United States will take control of Gaza, a long-term control that will bring stability to the Middle East, Gaza will be the riviere of the Middle East,” Trump added. Trump’s top advisers argue that rebuilding the war-torn territory in three to five years, as stipulated in the temporary truce agreement, is not feasible. The president has previously asked Egypt and Jordan to resettle Gazans, but both countries have flatly rejected such proposals.
“Looking at the past decades, it’s all death in Gaza,” Trump said, “You need to find a beautiful area where you can resettle people, permanently, in beautiful homes, where they can be happy and not be shot, killed or stabbed. The White House’s focus on the future of Gaza’s more than 2 million residents comes at a time when the truce between Israel and Hamas is going through a particularly delicate moment
Netanyahu is facing opposing pressures from his right-wing coalition, which wants to end the temporary truce against Hamas militants in Gaza, and from war-weary Israelis who want the remaining hostages to return home and the conflict, which has been going on for 15 months, to end for good. During the White House meeting, the two leaders referred to a long-sought normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia and shared concerns about Iran’s nuclear program as well as the second phase of the hostage-taking agreement.
“A lot of deaths have occurred since I left and now I’m back,” Trump said, “Now we face a different situation, in some ways better and in some ways worse. But we are facing a very complex and difficult situation that we will resolve.” Netanyahu’s visit to Washington was the first visit by a foreign leader in Trump’s second term. On the occasion, the prime minister praised the tycoon’s leadership in getting the ceasefire agreement: “I just tell you that I’m glad they are here,” Netanyahu said of Trump and his administration.
On Monday, Netanyahu also met with Steve Witkoff, designated by Trump as special envoy to the Middle East, to begin the difficult work of mediating the next phase of a cease-fire agreement. The discussion was described by the Israeli leader as “positive and friendly,” before stressing that he would send a delegation to Qatar to continue indirect talks with Hamas that are mediated by the Gulf Arab country, the first confirmation that those negotiations would continue. Netanyahu also said he would convene his security cabinet to discuss Israel’s demands for the next phase of the cease-fire when he returns to Israel later this week.
Witkoff, meanwhile, reiterated that he plans to meet with Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in Florida on Thursday to discuss the next phase of the current truce. Qatar and Egypt have served as key intermediaries with Hamas throughout the conflict.
Netanyahu used his visit to the White House to convince Trump to take decisive measures against Iran. Tehran has faced a series of military setbacks, including Israeli forces significantly degrading Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, as well as an operation that decimated Iran’s air defenses. The moment, according to Netanyahu, created a window to decisively address Tehran’s nuclear program.
Prior to his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump signed an executive order that he said would increase economic pressure on Iran. “We will not allow them to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump stated.
Meanwhile, in the hours leading up to the bilateral between Netanyahu and Trump, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through Washington to once again voice dissent against the Israeli leader, described as a “war criminal who has blood on his hands.”
-photo Ipa Agency -(ITALPRESS).
Trump to Netanyahu “We will control Gaza, away with the Palestinians”
