Washington - Saba:
Members of the US Congress have continued their opposition to US President Donald Trump's announcement of the US's intention to own Gaza.
Last night, US media quoted Representative Melanie Stansbury as saying that Trump's statements were "immoral and violate international laws", stressing her opposition to him.
Trump said on Thursday that "the United States will take over the Gaza Strip from "Israel" after the fighting ends," and by that time, the Palestinians will have been "resettled" elsewhere in the region, especially in Egypt and Jordan. He also said that "there will be no need for US soldiers" to implement his proposal regarding Gaza.
MP Yasmin Ansari, of Iranian origin, expressed her horror at the US president’s statements in a statement to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, saying: "I was horrified by his comments and his vision.” She added: “The administration must reconsider this 'wrong vision.'"
Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders commented on Trump’s suggestion that he owns Gaza, saying on social media platforms: “It is impossible to understand what Trump is talking about in Gaza. There are more than 45,000 people killed and more than 100,000 injured, most of them children. The infrastructure has been destroyed, healthcare services have been stopped, hospitals and the entire education system have been destroyed. Now Trump is talking to us about forcing 2.2 million Gazans to leave in order to build a ‘Riviera’ for the rich.”
"We will work together here (pointing to the Congress building) to ensure that Gaza is rebuilt for its Palestinian people and not for the billionaire class," he added.
In turn, Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican who voted to impeach Trump after the storming of Congress and is running for his seat next year, told reporters in Congress on Friday: “Ownership of the land in Gaza should be in the hands of the people who already own it.” He added: There are difficult logistical problems regarding rebuilding Gaza.
Senator Kevin Cramer, a member of the Senate, also said: “I think the only way for us to be in Gaza is at their invitation,” and responded to a question about sending American forces to Gaza by saying that “it is not our business at all now.”
Trump raised the idea of the United States taking over Gaza during a press conference he held at the White House with the Prime Minister of the Zionist entity, Benjamin Netanyahu, last Tuesday. He also proposed moving the Palestinians to neighboring countries and redeveloping the damaged area and turning it into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”
The proposal to displace Palestinians from Gaza was first raised on January 25 by urging Egypt and Jordan to accept more residents of the Strip. Asked at the time if he was proposing a long-term or short-term solution, he said: "It could be either."
| more of (International) |