Trump says US will ‘own’ Gaza in redevelopment plan

United States President Donald Trump has said the US will “take over” and “own” Gaza after resettling Palestinians elsewhere under a redevelopment plan that could see the enclave become “the Riviera of the Middle East”.

In a shock announcement upending decades of US policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Trump said on Tuesday that his administration would spearhead an economic development plan in the enclave that would “supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area”.

“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it,” Trump said at the White on Tuesday after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that Washington would be responsible for clearing destroyed buildings and dismantling “dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons”.

The US president said Gaza could become home to the “world’s people”.

“I think you will make that into an international, unbelievable place. I think the potential in the Gaza Strip is unbelievable. And I think the entire world – representatives from all over the world will be now – Palestinians also, Palestinians will live there,” he said. “Many people will live there.”

Asked if US soldiers could be sent to Gaza to maintain security, Trump said it was a possibility.

“As far as Gaza is concerned, we’ll do what is necessary. If it’s necessary, we’ll do that,” he said.

Netanyahu, who praised Trump as the “greatest friend” Israel has ever had, said the US president’s plan was worth “paying attention to” and could “change history”.

Trump’s proposals drew swift condemnation from Palestinian activists.

“He’s essentially saying that, officially US policy now is the destruction of Palestinian society, the scattering of Palestinians to neighbouring countries, and on top of that, for [the] US to come and own Palestinian territory indefinitely,” political analyst Omar Baddar told Al Jazeera.

“I don’t know what planet we are living on where these statements are coming out of the president of the United States.”

Abed Ayoub, executive director at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), described Trump’s proposal as “terrifying” and “insane”.

“It would go against all norms and international law. This isn’t something that would be permitted to happen,” Ayoub told Al Jazeera.