Trump and Netanyahu Discuss Controversial Plan to Relocate Palestinians from Gaza

President Donald Trump, hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, announced scheduled talks with Iran and indicated progress on a controversial plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza.

During a dinner with U.S. and Israeli officials, Netanyahu told reporters that the U.S. and Israel were working with other countries to offer Palestinians a better future, suggesting Gaza residents could relocate to neighboring nations.

\”If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,\” Netanyahu stated.

\”We’re collaborating closely with the U.S. to find countries willing to fulfill their promise of providing Palestinians a better future. I believe we’re close to identifying several nations.\” Trump, initially hesitant about relocating Palestinians, later noted that surrounding countries were cooperating. \”We’ve received great support from… all of them. So something positive will happen,\” Trump said.

Earlier this year, Trump proposed relocating Palestinians and transforming the Gaza Strip into the \”Riviera of the Middle East.\” Gazans criticized this idea, vowing never to abandon their homes. Human rights organizations condemned the plan as ethnic cleansing.

Trump and Netanyahu met for several hours in Washington while Israeli officials continued indirect negotiations with Hamas, aiming to secure a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. Netanyahu later returned to Blair House, where he was scheduled to meet with Vice President JD Vance.

Netanyahu’s visit followed Trump’s prediction that a deal could be reached this week.

Before arriving in Washington, the right-wing Israeli leader stated that his discussions with Trump could advance ongoing negotiations in Qatar between Israel and Hamas.

This marked Trump’s third face-to-face meeting with Netanyahu since taking office in January, occurring shortly after Trump ordered airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israeli operations. Trump subsequently facilitated a ceasefire in the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict.

Trump confirmed that his administration would meet with Iran.

\”We have scheduled talks with Iran, and they… want to talk. They took a significant hit,\” he remarked.

Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, indicated that the meeting would occur within the next week.

Trump expressed his desire to lift sanctions on Iran at the appropriate time. \”I would love to remove those sanctions when the time is right,\” he said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated in a recent interview that he believed dialogue could resolve Iran’s differences with the U.S.

Trump and his aides appeared eager to capitalize on Iran’s weakened position to push for a breakthrough in the 21-month Gaza conflict.

The two leaders, along with their top advisers, held a private dinner in the White House Blue Room, departing from the traditional Oval Office setting.

Outside, hundreds of protesters gathered near the White House, many wearing Palestinian keffiyeh scarves and waving Palestinian flags. They displayed banners reading \”Stop Arming Israel\” and \”Say No to Genocide,\” while also calling for Netanyahu’s arrest, citing the International Criminal Court’s warrant against him for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Earlier on Monday, Netanyahu met with Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He planned to visit the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday to meet with congressional leaders.

During their meeting, Netanyahu presented Trump with a letter he claimed to have used to nominate the U.S. president for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump, visibly pleased by the gesture, expressed his gratitude.

Before their visit, Netanyahu informed reporters that Israeli negotiators were working towards a deal on Gaza in Doha, Qatar’s capital.

Israeli officials hope that resolving the conflict with Iran will pave the way for normalizing relations with more neighboring countries, including Lebanon, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)