After President Donald Trump proposed a takeover of the Gaza Strip, California Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell pointed out how it goes against one of Trump's key election promises.
During a press conference in Washington, D.C., with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Trump suggested that the U.S. could "take over" and "own" the war-torn territory.
Trump said the U.S. would "take over the Gaza Strip" in a "long-term ownership position" and "level it out and create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area." He said this could become "the Riviera of the Middle East" with "representatives from all over the world" living there.
However, Trump also proposed relocating some of Gaza’s estimated two million residents, suggesting they could be moved to Jordan or Egypt if those countries would "open their hearts and give us the kind of land that we need to get this done."
Responding to Trump's comments, Swalwell pointed out Trump's hypocrisy on the matter:
"Wait what? The U.S. is going to occupy Gaza? We were promised no more endless wars. By my count we are occupying Greenland, Canada, Panama Canal, and now..Gaza?"
You can see his post below.
Indeed, Trump has repeatedly vowed to end “endless wars.”
In fact, he once addressed West Point graduates and asserted, "it is not the duty of U.S. troops to solve ancient conflicts in faraway lands that many people have never even heard of." Yet now, the “America First” president appears open to peacekeeping efforts in Gaza—potentially involving the military—while proposing to invest billions in Middle Eastern real estate.
It’s a striking shift and Trump’s approach seems even more imperialistic, adding Gaza to an unlikely list of expansionist targets that already includes Greenland, Canada, and Panama.
Many have echoed Swalwell's criticisms and pointed out the contradiction.
Trump's proposal has been rejected by numerous countries worldwide.
In remarks to LBC Radio, Britain’s Environment Secretary Steve Reed said the U.K. government believes "that Palestinian civilians must be able to return to their homes and to rebuild their lives that have been shattered over the last 14 months."
Reed added that "a two-state solution with a secure Israel, safe and at peace within their borders, alongside a viable Palestinian state" is the best bet for peace in the area.
Similarly, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan denounced Trump's proposal, saying:
“Deportation [of Palestinians] is something neither we nor the region can accept. Even thinking of it is absurd. Even launching a debate on it is wrong."
Fidan added that the Turkish government is "against any attempts to by-pass the Gazan people from the management and reconstruction of Gaza."
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