Speaking
to reporters at the beginning of a dinner between US and Israeli officials,
Netanyahu said the United States and Israel were working with other countries
who would give Palestinians a "better future," suggesting that the
residents of Gaza could move to neighboring nations.
"If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they
want to leave, they should be able to leave," Netanyahu said.
"We're
working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will
seek to realize what they always say, that they wanted to give the Palestinians
a better future. I think we're getting close to finding several
countries."
Trump, who initially demurred to Netanyahu when asked about
the relocating of Palestinians, said the countries around Israel were helping
out. "We've had great cooperation from ... surrounding countries, great
cooperation from every single one of them. So something good will happen,"
Trump said.
Trump
floated relocating Palestinians and taking over the Gaza Strip earlier this
year. Gazans criticized the proposal and vowed never to leave their
homes in the coastal enclave.
Trump and Netanyahu met in Washington while Israeli
officials held indirect negotiations with Hamas aimed at securing a US-brokered
Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal.
It was
Trump's third face-to-face encounter with Netanyahu since returning to office
in January, and came just over two weeks after the president ordered the
bombing of Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israeli air strikes.
Trump said his administration would be meeting with Iran.
"We have scheduled Iran talks, and they ... want to talk. They took a big
drubbing," he said.
Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said the meeting
would take place in the next week or so.
Trump
said he would like to lift sanctions on Iran at some point. "I would love
to be able to, at the right time, take those sanctions off," he said.
Trump
and his aides appeared to be trying to seize on any momentum created by the
weakening of Iran, which backs Hamas, to push both sides for a breakthrough in
the 21-month Gaza war.
The two leaders, with their top advisers, held a private
dinner in the White House Blue Room, instead of more traditional talks in the
Oval Office, where the president usually greets visiting dignitaries.
During
their meeting, Netanyahu gave Trump a letter that he said he had used to
nominate the US president for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump, appearing pleased
by the gesture, thanked him.
Israeli officials also hope the outcome of the conflict with
Iran will pave the way for normalization of relations with more of its
neighbors such as Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia.
