Trump believes moving Palestinians to ‘safer areas’ would be ‘more majestic’: White House

WASHINGTON

U.S. President Donald Trump believes it would be “more majestic” if Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were relocated to safer areas, the White House said Wednesday.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Trump and Jordan’s King Abdullah II discussed Gaza and its future at "great length" during a meeting Tuesday at the White House.

“The king would much prefer that the Palestinians stay in place with the additional land to be used for new development, which would greatly create jobs at levels never seen before,” said Leavitt. “But the president feels it would be much better and more majestic if these Palestinians could be moved to safer areas.”

Leavitt did not specify which areas Trump envisions as “safer” for Palestinians.

She added that Trump remains “wholeheartedly committed” to achieving peace and has tasked Arab allies with presenting a plan to him.

“Our Arab partners in the region have been tasked with coming up with a peace plan to present to the president that is ongoing,” she said. “The administration continues to work with our Arab partners in the region, we stand closely with our ally Israel.”

"The president has presented this big new bold idea to secure peace in the Middle East, and he is not going to waiver from that, and we look forward to seeing that goal of this administration, achieved as well," she added.

After meeting with Trump, Abdullah said he reiterated Jordan’s steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, stating: “This is the unified Arab position.”

Trump’s proposal, widely rejected by Palestinians and the broader Arab and Muslim world, to forcibly displace Palestinians, comes amid a fragile ceasefire agreement that took effect in Gaza on Jan. 19. The truce paused Israel’s 15-month onslaught, which has killed more than 48,200 people and left the enclave in ruins.

For 18 years, Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, effectively turning it into the world’s largest open-air prison. Nearly 2 million of its 2.3 million residents have been forcibly displaced since the start of the war after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, as they face dire shortages of food, water and medicine due to Israel’s deliberate restrictions.