Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been working with US lawmakers in Congress to gather support for US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, two knowledgeable sources told the Jerusalem Post on Sunday evening.
During the prime minister’s visit to Washington last week, Netanyahu met with members of both the US Congress and the Senate. In these meetings, Netanyahu attempted to rally lawmakers’ support for Trump’s plan, which involves relocating all Palestinians living in Gaza to other countries, which would build camps or housing to accommodate them as the Gaza Strip is being reconstructed.
Trump’s Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Republican Senators who expressed having “some problems” with Trump’s plan, as early as the day after it was announced by the US president.
These conversations prompted White House officials to issue clarifications on Trump’s plan, including that it would not be funded by US taxpayer money and that no American soldiers would be stationed in the Gaza Strip.
What’s the rush?
Over the weekend, Trump stated that his administration is “in no rush” to carry out the plan and added that “we are not talking about boots on the ground or anything.”
A recent CBS News poll showed the American public is not too enthusiastic about Trump’s plan, with a mere 13% stating they support the initiative, while 47% oppose it
Netanyahu is very enthusiastic about Trump’s plan, and is working to secure support for the president from members of Congress, according to sources who spoke with the Post. Further, senior Netanyahu advisors have been actively engaging columnists in American and US-centric media outlets, encouraging them to write opinion columns advocating for the relocation of Gazans to Egypt and Jordan – either as a temporary measure or a permanent solution.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
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