A day after President Trump floated an idea for the U.S. to assume control and rebuild the shattered Gaza Strip, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said nothing is off the table and that the U.S. military is ready to consider all possible solutions.
During a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Pentagon, Mr. Hegseth said Mr. Trump was “willing to think outside the box and look for new and unique and dynamic ways to solve problems that have felt like they were intractable.”
Mr. Hegseth didn’t offer any specifics about the future of the Palestinian enclave or of any U.S. military role, saying he didn’t want to get ahead of the president. Other top Trump advisers Wednesday appeared to be toning down Mr. Trump’s original remarks and suggesting they were less ambitious than reported.
“The president is involved in very complex and high-level negotiations of great consequence to both the United States and Israel,” Mr. Hegseth said. “We look forward to working with our allies and our counterparts — both diplomatically and militarily — to look at all options.”
The new U.S. defense chief said he had a “great deal of respect” for Israel’s response to the regional threats posed by Iran and its allies, notably Hamas and Hezbollah. Mr. Netanyahu praised his country’s unique relationship with the U.S. and said Israel stands out among America’s allies.
“We have no compunction about fighting our enemies by ourselves,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “We’re willing to shoulder the burden of our defense.”
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Mr. Hegseth said the Trump administration will provide weapons to Israel that “were previously not supplied [and] that are useful in eradicating radical enemies.” The White House has released a temporary hold imposed by former President Biden on the supply of high-powered 2,000-pound bombs to Israel in part to protest Mr. Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza, in which tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed in retaliation for the deadly October 7, 2023 surprise attack by Hamas.
“It always struck me, the sense of purpose that permeates the State of Israel, living under an existential threat,” Mr. Hegseth said. “You have a long memory and we have a long memory.”
Mr. Netanyahu said any Israeli victory on the battlefield against a formidable enemy like Hamas should also be considered a win for the U.S.
“They call you the ‘Great Satan’ and they call us the ‘Small Satan.’ We stand in their way but you are their great enemy,” he said. “The only way you get peace — an enduring peace — is by being very, very strong.”
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.