President Donald Trump recently received a phone call from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
The White House issued a statement revealing that during the call, Sisi congratulated Trump on his inauguration. “President Trump thanked President Sisi for his friendship, and discussed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The two leaders also discussed Egypt’s important role in the release of hostages from Gaza and President Sisi expressed his confidence that President Trump’s leadership could usher in a golden age of Middle East peace,” the statement said.
The statement from the White House did not mention whether Trump and Sisi talked about the plan Trump proposed the previous week, which would involve Egypt and Jordan accepting refugees from Gaza. Trump had previously mentioned that he had spoken to King Abdullah II of Jordan about this idea.
“I’d like him to take people. I’d like Egypt to take people,” Trump said of King Abdullah. “You’re talking about, probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know it’s, over.’”
The President noted that he viewed the potential relocation of Palestinian Arabs from Gaza as something that “could be temporary or long term,” adding that the region has a long history of conflict.
A few days later, Trump reiterated his stance on the matter, telling reporters he had brought it up with Sisi. “I’d like to get them living in an area where they can live without disruption, revolution … when you look at the Gaza Strip it’s been hell for so many years,” Trump remarked.
“I wish [Sisi] would take some [Gazans]. We helped them a lot, and I’m sure he’d help us. He’s a friend of mine. He’s in a very rough part of the world, to be honest. As they say, It’s a rough neighborhood. But I think he would do it, and I think the King of Jordan would do it too,” Trump continued.
On Wednesday, Sisi publicly responded for the first time to Trump’s proposal, stating that Egypt would not participate in the displacement of Palestinian Arabs, calling it an “act of injustice” that could jeopardize Egypt’s security.
The following day, Trump once again spoke about the proposal, expressing confidence that both Egypt and Jordan would agree to cooperate. “They will do it, they will do it. They’re going to do it. We do a lot for them, and they’re going to do it,” Trump declared.
{Matzav.com}
