Topline
President Donald Trump told the press during a Tuesday meeting with Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu that Palestinian refugees should be relocated to another country from Gaza instead of rebuilding their homes in the war-torn region, which he called a “demolition site.”
Trump signed the order Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) … [+]
Key Facts
Trump said Palestinians “live like they are living in hell,” saying Gaza “is not a place for people to be living” and suggested relocating refugees to “really nice places with plenty of money in the area” would be better than having them stay in Gaza.
Trump said he wanted Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians, saying the refugees “have no alternative” but to leave Gaza, citing the widespread destruction the region has sustained from Israeli forces without directly talking about the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Jordan, Egypt and Hamas have rejected suggestions of relocating Palestinians from Gaza, according to Reuters, which noted concerns from Hamas about Palestinians being permanently driven out of Gaza.
Prior to his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump signed an executive order pulling the U.S. from the United Nations Human Rights Council and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the latter entity of which provides aid to Palestinian refugees.
Trump said shortly before signing the order he “always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential” and that the intergovernmental body is not living up to it and has not “for a long time.”
Netanyahu has criticized the UNHRC, saying it has a “blatant anti-Israel obsession.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
