It’s unclear whether or not Trump’s feedback had been a deliberate lie or just revealed his lack of know-how of the area.
Former President Donald Trump claimed in a radio interview that he has been to Gaza though no document of such a go to exists.
The remark, which Trump made in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that was broadcast on Monday, got here in response to a query about whether or not the occupied territory, which Israel has largely razed to the bottom during the last 12 months, could possibly be developed to “be Monaco, if it was rebuilt the suitable method?”
“It could possibly be higher than Monaco. It has one of the best location within the Center East, one of the best water, one of the best every little thing,” Trump responded. “I’ve been there, and it’s tough. It’s a tough place, earlier than the, you recognize, earlier than the entire assaults and earlier than the backwards and forwards what’s occurred during the last couple of years.”
Requested to make clear, a spokesperson for the Trump marketing campaign advised the New York Times that “Gaza is in Israel. President Trump has been to Israel.”
Gaza is just not, nor has it ever been “in Israel.” The Palestinian territory has been illegally occupied by Israel, in addition to the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem, since 1967.
Israel withdrew its military and settlers from Gaza in 2005, beneath a coverage that the Israeli authorities on the time dubbed “disengagement.” However Israel stays an occupying energy in Gaza beneath worldwide regulation, as its army continues to retain efficient management of its borders, airspace and shoreline.
The Israeli army has invaded the territory once more for the final 12 months following the October 7 assaults by Hamas.
Though false claims will not be unusual from Trump, it was unclear if these had been deliberate lies or whether or not they simply revealed his lack of know-how in regards to the area’s geography.
Trump visited Israel and the occupied West Financial institution in 2017, his first 12 months in workplace, and met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the time. The West Financial institution and Gaza are separate occupied territories, solely reachable to one another by travelling by way of Israel — one thing most Palestinians will not be allowed to do.
Trump’s feedback about Gaza echoed these made by his son-in-law and former adviser Jared Kushner earlier this 12 months. Kushner had referred to as Gaza’s waterfront property “very useful.”
Within the interview with Hewitt, Trump additionally referenced Gaza’s oceanfront location.
“They by no means took benefit of it,” he mentioned. “, as a developer, it could possibly be essentially the most stunning place – the climate, the water, the entire thing, the local weather. It could possibly be so stunning. It could possibly be one of the best factor within the Center East, nevertheless it could possibly be top-of-the-line locations on the earth.”
