Morton Klein, head of the Zionist Organization of America, endorsed President Donald Trump's plan of "permanently" resettling Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to countries such as Egypt and Jordan, but he wants Israel and not the U.S. to retain control of the war-torn territory.
"The next president might feel differently than Trump and want to invite a million Arabs to move there," said Klein, The Times of Israel reported Monday. "Israel has to retain control of the land, not the U.S."
Trump said earlier this month when Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House that the U.S. should take ownership of the Gaza Strip and redevelop it after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere and turn it into "the Riviera of the Middle East" in which the "world's people" — including Palestinians — would live.
"We'll make sure that it's done world-class," Trump said. "It'll be wonderful for the people — Palestinians, Palestinians mostly, we're talking about."
Klein was in Jerusalem for a gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. He said Trump's plan to resettle the approximately 2 million residents of Gaza and redevelop the Strip for U.S. interests is a "win-win for everyone."
"Look, there's not really much for Gazans to go back to," said Klein, according to the Times. "About 70% of Gaza has been destroyed, and there are no facilities to live a normal life. It's not the same as forcing people out of their homes.
"This is a solution that is better for Gazan Arabs and eliminates the threat of a Hamas-type group threatening Israel on the southern border. If you're going to build them new homes, build them somewhere they can have a beautiful life."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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