Trump says Palestinians will have no right of return to Gaza under his plan to buy & own territory

U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that Palestinians displaced from Gaza will have "no right of return" under his plan for the U.S. to take over and own the territory.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said that the area would be a "real estate development for the future."

When asked if Palestinians could return, Trump said they wouldn't because they would have "better housing elsewhere."

"In other words, I’m talking about building a permanent place for them because if they have to return now, it’ll be years before you could ever – it’s not habitable," he said, The Guardian reported.

"In the meantime, I would own this. Think of it as a real estate development for the future. It would be a beautiful piece of land. No big money spent."

Trump has pushed the idea of Egypt and Jordan taking in Palestinian refugees, perhaps permanently, but both countries have raised security and logistical concerns over taking in millions of displaced Palestinians.

Both countries also object to the idea of permanently taking in such refugees, as this would contravene the Palestinians' right to return to their land and derail the push for the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

On Feb. 9, aboard Air Force One on his way to attend the Super Bowl football game, Trump said he was committed to "buying and owning" Gaza, Reuters reported.

"I'm committed to buying and owning Gaza. As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it, other people may do it, through our auspices.

But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back."

Trump's comments came after the White House walked back his earlier comments about the U.S. owning Gaza, or permanently displacing Palestinians, or committing U.S. troops to the area.

Top image via AFP.