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Nigel Farage backs Donald Trump’s Gaza plan – concept of ‘casinos’ is ‘very interesting’

Nigel Farage has endorsed Donald Trump’s deranged plan to take over Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”.

The US President sparked global outrage with his proposal to permanently resettle 2.1 million Palestinians from the war ravaged territory. But the Reform UK leader told a press conference in Westminster that the idea of forcing people out of their homes to build “casinos” was “very appealing”.

Asked about Donald Trump wanting to turn Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, Nigel Farage said: “I love ambition. The thought of a wealthy, wonderful, thriving place with well paid jobs, casinos, nightlife. I mean, it sounds very appealing to me.






Donald Trump has threatened to take over Gaza and permanently resettle Palestinians from their homes


Donald Trump has threatened to take over Gaza and permanently resettle Palestinians from their homes
(
Getty Images)

“I’m not here to answer on behalf of everything the Trump administration has to say. What I will say is he’s got off to the most extraordinary start as US president and promises made, promises kept, quite extraordinary. We do realise that after 2029 we will not quite have the same presidential powers that the President of the USA has. So without being specific on Gaza, I would just say he’s off to the most incredible start.”

He praised the US President’s start in office, which has seen him push the world to the brink of trade war and threaten to annex Greenland. Mr Farage said: “You witnessed international brinkmanship on a level, perhaps never seen before. And the surrender after surrender that you get, whether it’s from Canada or South American countries, Panama, you name it, is amazing.

“He’s used tariffs, particularly tariffs as a transactional tool. (He) does it amazingly effectively. You can go back to the American people and say, I’ve got a better deal. I put you first.”

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Keir Starmer earlier distanced himself from Mr Trump’s comments on Gaza, saying the Palestinians “must be allowed home”. He told MPs: “They must be allowed to rebuild, and we should be with them in that rebuild on the way to a two-state solution.”

No10 said the PM would “speak to President Trump and his team about all of his proposals” and rejected the idea that the plan could jeopardize the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Overnight, Mr Trump suggested he does not “think people should be going back” to Gaza. “You can’t live in Gaza right now,” he said. “I think we need another location. I think it should be a location that’s going to make people happy.”

He said the US could take ownership of the Gaza Strip and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” in which the “world’s people” – including Palestinians – could live. “We’ll make sure that it’s done world class,” Mr Trump said. “It’ll be wonderful for the people – Palestinians, Palestinians mostly, we’re talking about.”