Netanyahu hails Trump’s Gaza plan amid global backlash

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed former President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for U.S. control of Gaza on Wednesday, even as the plan faced widespread international rejection over concerns of forced displacement.

“This is the first good idea that I have heard, it’s a remarkable idea and I think it should be really pursued, examined … and done,” Netanyahu told Fox News, breaking with numerous world leaders who denounced the proposal.

The plan, unveiled Tuesday, calls for Palestinians to leave Gaza while the United States takes control of the territory. Trump described Gaza as a “big pile of rubble” and declared Palestinians “have no alternative” but to relocate during reconstruction, promising to transform the region into something “magnificent.”

Netanyahu defended the proposal’s provision for displacement, stating: “What’s wrong with that? They can leave, they can then come back, they can relocate and come back. But you have to rebuild Gaza.” He did not specify a timeline for reconstruction or return.

The Israeli leader’s comments come as Gaza grapples with devastating humanitarian consequences from 15 months of Israeli military operations that have left more than 47,000 Palestinians dead and 111,000 injured. The fighting paused under a Jan. 19 cease-fire agreement.

Trump’s suggestion that regional Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan should absorb displaced Palestinians has been rejected by both countries. The plan has drawn sharp criticism from China, Türkiye, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and European nations, with some characterizing it as ethnic cleansing.

While praising the proposal, Netanyahu clarified that funding would not come from the United States but from “neighboring states, wealthy states,” though he did not name specific countries. He also emphasized that Israeli forces, not U.S. troops, would continue military operations against Hamas.