UNITED NATIONS — President Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to assume control of the Gaza Strip has drawn widespread international condemnation, including criticism from within his own political party.
However, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó believes the global response is premature. He likened the Gaza plan to other “shockingly innovative” ideas from President Trump, citing the Abraham Accords as a precedent.
“I would like to remind everyone that when President Trump announced his plan for the Abraham Accords, few believed in their success. Yet, he achieved it, and these Accords have fundamentally reshaped the Middle East,” Szijjártó told Digital in an exclusive interview at the UN headquarters in New York.
The Abraham Accords involved Israel signing treaties with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. There was speculation that Saudi Arabia would have joined had Trump won re-election in 2020. However, Saudi Arabia recently stated that it wouldn’t normalize ties with Israel without a Palestinian state.
“Achieving lasting peace in the Middle East is currently one of the world’s most complex challenges,” Szijjártó noted, adding, “regarding President Trump, I would not rule out anything.”
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first foreign leader to visit the White House since Trump’s return. This visit follows the October 7th Hamas massacre in Israel.
During a joint press conference with Netanyahu, Trump unveiled his plan for the U.S. to take over the Gaza Strip, claiming it would enable Palestinians to “live peacefully.”
“The U.S. will assume control of the Gaza Strip, and we will transform it,” Trump stated. “We’ll be responsible for removing all unexploded ordnance and weapons.”
“We’ll clear the land, rebuild it, and create an economy generating numerous jobs and homes,” he continued. “We need a different approach; going back to the old ways will only lead to the same outcome we’ve seen for a century.”
Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, denounced Trump’s proposal on Wednesday, calling it a “recipe for regional chaos and instability.”