There is no reason the United States can't lead the way to rebuilding Gaza, removing Hamas from control, and leaving Israel with a "good neighbor," Rep. Mark Alford told Newsmax on Wednesday, while discussing President Donald Trump's plans for the Gaza Strip.
"How do we rebuild?" the Missouri Republican said on "Newsline." "We did it after World War II with the Marshall Plan. I think the U.S. is going to have to have some involvement. I think other Arab nations, responsible Arab nations, are going to be involved in that as well."
Trump on Tuesday suggested that Palestinian refugees could be permanently resettled away from the Gaza Strip and that the U.S. might stage a long-term takeover in the region. He also said he was not ruling out the deployment of troops to support reconstruction.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday, however, that the Trump administration does not intend to pay to rebuild Gaza and it hasn't committed to sending U.S. troops into the region.
Alford agreed that it's "not going to be America only" that rebuilds Gaza, "but there's no reason we can't lead the way to restore democracy and freedom and hope and a good neighbor for Israel."
Alford also said that Hamas "should have been obliterated," but that the Biden administration didn't allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country's military to "finish off Hamas, which I think is a mistake."
Alford said Hamas already is reconstituting.
"The people, if they keep electing terrorists, this is what you're going to get," he said.
When it comes to having troops in Gaza, Alford noted that former President Joe Biden's "silly idea" for building a supply pier "went nowhere" and put troops in danger.
"The reason they were in danger is because Hamas was not destabilized, decapitated, or eradicated," Alford said. "If we go in there, Hamas will cease to exist and we will not have the pressures, I think, on our soldiers, our men and women in uniform there, if they happen to be there in some rebuilding capacity."
Neighboring countries have said they do not want the Palestinian refugees to relocate in their land, but Alford said Trump has the power of the "art of the deal" on his side.
He also noted that the Middle East is in trouble, and "the key to this is Iran."
"We know that Iran has been funded through Joe Biden in releasing $16.5 billion in sanctioned money," Alford asserted. "That's what set this off. That's what set off October 7. That's what set off Hezbollah. That's what set off the Houthis from Yemen, bombing the ships and raiding the ships and disrupting trade through the Suez Canal, which is costing the Egyptians over $600 million a month in lost revenue."
Further, "serious-minded members of the Arab community" want the war to be over and Iran to be "put in its place," Alford said. "I'm all in favor of doing that."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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