MK Orit Struk with Religious Zionist party head MK Bezalel Smotrich with Head of the Otzma Yehudit party MK Itamar Ben Gvir at the assembly hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on December 28, 2022. Photo by Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90
U.S. President Donald Trump shocked the world with his suggestion that the United States take over not just the rebuilding of Gaza, but its administration.
“I don’t want to be cute. I don’t want to be a wise guy, but – the Riviera of the Middle East. This could be so magnificent,” Trump said during a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following their meeting.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site. Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings. Level it out,” he said.
When asked by a reporter who would live in Gaza, Trump said, “I envision the world’s people living there.”
Netanyahu, speaking with Trump at the press conference, welcomed the idea. “I think it’s worth paying attention to. We are talking about it,” Netanyahu said. “I think it is something that could change history, and it is worthwhile really pursuing this idea.”
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, said he would “keep an open mind” but suggested the plan would receive pushback from Arab states. “We’ll see what our Arab friends say about that,” he remarked.
Speaking before the Netanyahu-Trump meeting, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz described the challenges in rebuilding Gaza due to the massive destruction, unexploded ordinance and the remaining Hamas terror tunnels.
“At some point, we have to look realistically, how do you rebuild Gaza? What does that look like? What is the timeline?” Waltz said. “A lot of people were looking at very unrealistic timelines. We’re talking 10 to 15 years.”
The reaction to Trump’s remarks among Israeli politicians has been almost unanimously positive and excited.
Former Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who resigned from the coalition government along with his party over the hostage release ceasefire deal, posted two messages to 𝕏 expressing his enthusiasm.
In an English post to 𝕏, Ben Gvir wrote, “Donald, this looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
In Hebrew, he said, “The only solution to Gaza is to encourage the migration of Gazans. When I said this time and again during the war that this was the solution to Gaza, they mocked me. Now it is clear: this is the only solution to the Gaza problem – this is the strategy for the “day after.” I call on the Prime Minister to announce the adoption of the plan as soon as possible and to begin immediate practical progress.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a political ally of Ben Gvir, praised Trump’s remarks by quoting from Psalm 126: “Then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ The LORD has done great things for us, we are happy.”
“Thank you, President Trump.”
Ultra-Orthodox Shas party leader Aryeh Deri, responded to Trump, saying, “You are acting as a messenger of God for the Jewish people, and you have achieved great success because of your steadfast stand on the right side of the people of Israel against all its enemies.”
Energy Minister, and former Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen thanked Trump in an English post on 𝕏.
“A historic morning for the State of Israel, the Middle East, and the world,” Cohen wrote. “Thank you, President Donald Trump, for standing firmly on the side of truth. The policy you set regarding terrorist organizations and Iran will lead to prosperity in the Middle East and make the world a safer place.”
Likud party Knesset Member Shlomo Karhi posted a long reaction on 𝕏: “History is happening before our eyes!”
“Yesterday was a rare moment, one that makes it clear who truly stands by the State of Israel – not in slogans, but in deeds,” Karhi wrote. President Donald Trump received Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the respect reserved for truly great leaders, and during five hours of deep conversations, courageous friendship, and a shared understanding of reality, another line was written in the history of the Jewish people.”
Benny Gantz, head of the opposition National Unity party, welcomed Trump’s proposal for Gaza.
“President Trump has shown, and not for the first time, that he is a true friend of Israel and will continue to stand by it on issues important to strengthening its security,” Gantz said in a statement. “In his remarks, he presented creative, original and interesting thinking, which must be examined alongside the realization of the goals of the war, giving priority to the return of all the hostages.”
Avigdor Liberman, a right-wing, Zionist opposition member and leader of the Yisrael Beytenu party, thanked Trump for his “absolute commitment to Israel’s security.”
“I thank President Trump for his absolute commitment to Israel’s security, to the release of all hostages, and to finding a just solution in the Gaza Strip that will pass through the Sinai Peninsula and in cooperation with Egypt, to eradicate the Hamas regime, as well as for his firm stand in the face of Iranian threats.”
In an Army Radio interview, opposition leader Yair Lapid stated, “This was a good press conference for the State of Israel. We will have to study the details to understand what the plan is in Gaza.”
Lapid also said he would “present a supplementary plan to the Americans during my visit to Washington at the end of the month.”
However, there were a few politicians who expressed less enthusiasm.
Left-wing politician Yair Golan, head of the newly formed Democrats party, said the announcement by Trump was desinged to grab headlines.
“We need to work hand in hand with the Americans and the moderate Arab countries to ensure responsible and proper reconstruction in Gaza, which preserves our security. The statements about transfer are good for headlines, but not in practice,” Golan wrote in a post on 𝕏. ” Therefore, we must not be confused: the most important thing is to bring all the kidnapped people home now.”
Arab MK Mansour Abbas, head of the Joint List, criticized the proposal as “crimes against humanity.”
“The transfer initiative for the residents of Gaza is not ‘creative thinking,’ nor is it a political agenda, it is old Kahanist thinking, which normalizes the wrong,” Abbas posted to 𝕏. “It is impossible to carry out a transfer without committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.”
