The Project star Georgie Tunny has taken aim at Donald Trump’s plan to ‘take over’ Gaza, forcing Palestinians from their homeland.
The US President unveiled bold plans to seize control of the war-ravaged strip and redevelop it into ‘the Riviera of the Middle East’ at a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week.
President Trump warned the entire population of Gaza would be resettled in neighboring countries and that American troops would be deployed ‘if necessary.’
Israel declared war on militant group Hamas after the October 2023 terror attacks.
Palestinian authorities claim more than 46,000 people were killed by Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip prior to a ceasefire last month.
Tunny questioned President Trump and Mr Netanyahu’s partnership during Wednesday night’s program.
‘I found that press conference quite extraordinary and if I’m being perfectly honest, quite distressing,’ the television presenter said.
‘To see those two men of such influence in the world – and two men who probably represent the hell that the Gazans have gone through the last 14-16 months – overtly suggesting the ethnic cleansing of all of those people.’
The Project host Georgie Tunny (pictured) described US President Donald Trump’s plan to ‘take over’ Gaza as ‘ethnic cleansing’
Donald Trump (pictured) announced the plans alongside his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint press conference in Washington DC this week
Co-hosts Waleed Aly and Sarah Harris also questioned President Trump’s plans.
‘It’s hard to digest, isn’t it? It is a crazy decision that he’s making. You think – it’s like 3D chess he’s playing, right?’ Harris said.
Aly said that the more he reads of President Trump’s comments, the less sense it makes.
‘He has this idea: clear it out, we’ll build it, also you move out permanently. Which sounds, for all the world, to Palestinians like ethnic cleansing,’ he said.
‘But then he was asked if he doesn’t support the Palestinian state, he says, ‘It doesn’t mean anything about a two-state or a one state or any other state – it means we want to give people a chance at life because the Gaza Strip has been a hellhole’.
‘It’s like, no sorry, isn’t that exactly what it means? Then that leads me to, do you know what it means?’
Aly theorised that Trump ‘says these words and doesn’t fully understand what the implications are’.
‘That scared me because you know who really does understand the implications of that is Benjamin Netanyahu, who is sitting right next to him,’ he said.
‘…It is a weird world to be in this scenario where you’re consoling yourself with the possibility that the President of the United States doesn’t mean what he actually says.’
During the joint press conference in Washington on Tuesday, Netanyahu seemingly announced the ceasefire’s end, saying: ‘Israel would end the war by winning the war.’
Trump announced the US would seize control of Gaza (pictured on January 29) and develop it, despite it having no claim to the land in international law
Tunny said of the conference: ‘I found that press conference quite extraordinary and if I’m being perfectly honest, quite distressing’ (pictured, Trump and Netanyahu)
He and Trump revealed their vision for the territory under US governance, which included resettling Palestinians in either Jordan or Egypt – a proposal already rejected by leaders of both nations.
‘(Gaza) should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have really stood there and fought for it, and lived there and died there, and lived a miserable existence there,’ Mr Netanyahu said.
‘Instead of having to go back and do it again, the US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too.’
Trump used the joint press conference to discuss the planned project’s potential for new jobs and infrastructure in the region.
‘We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out,’ he said.
‘(We will) create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area to do a real job, do something different.’
As for where the people living in Gaza would go, Trump insisted neighbouring countries would accept the flood of refugees.
‘The only reason the Palestinians want to go back to Gaza is that they have no alternative,’ he said.
Waleed Aly (pictured) agreed with Tunny that Trump’s plan alluded to ‘ethnic cleansing’ but suggested Trump ‘says these words and doesn’t fully understand what the implications are’
When asked where Palestinians would be resettled under the US’ plan, Trump suggested Jordan and Egypt – which both previously refused the arrangement (pictured, Palestinians returning to Gaza on January 27 following the ceasefire announcement)
‘Despite them saying no, I have a feeling that the king in Jordan and that the (president of) … Egypt will open their hearts and will give us the kind of land that we need to get this done and people can live in harmony and in peace.’
The US does not have any claim to Gaza under international law. Both the Gaza Strip and West Bank are considered Occupied Palestinian Territories under Israeli military control since 1967.
When questioned why the US was planning to illegally ‘take’ land, Trump said: ‘Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent.’
‘…I don’t want to be cute, I don’t want to be a wise guy, but the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’, this could be something that could be so magnificent.
‘But more importantly than that is the people that have been absolutely destroyed, that live there now, can live in peace in a much better situation because they’re living in hell.’
The announcement has been widely condemned internationally, including by New Israel Fund Australia.
Trump wouldn’t rule out sending American soldiers to Gaza ‘if it’s necessary’
Its executive director, Michael Chaitow, warned the proposal would only lead to further conflict in the region.
‘Displacing 2-million people is not a solution. The only solution is to invest in a future Palestinian state alongside an Israeli state, it is a necessary component of any future two state solution,’ he said.
Despite having no concrete plans on where Palestinians would go once their country is ‘owned’ by the US, Trump didn’t reject the idea of sending American troops to the territory.
‘As far as Gaza is concerned, we’ll do what is necessary. If it’s necessary, we’ll do that,’ he said.
‘We’re going to take over that piece and we’re going to develop it.’
