Shocked the world by proposing to “understand” and “acquire” it, re -promoting its population. The US president later reiterated data on social media proposal, saying that Gaza would be “delivered” to the US by his plan. He moved to clarify that their displacement would be temporary, while Foreign Minister Marco Rubio described it as a “temporary” arrangement.
The proposal continued to trigger condemnations, among other things, from all over, close US allies and the United Nations – and some analysts feared that Trump’s comments could destabilize the ongoing truce between it and Israel. The Israeli prime minister, meanwhile, said that in the idea “it is worth paying attention”.
It comes amid continuing questions about the post -comparative future of Gaza, where the UN estimates that about two -thirds of buildings have been destroyed or damaged after 15 months of battles.
Trump’s vague proposal could signal the biggest change in US policy for the Middle East for decades, overturning the widespread international consensus on the need for a Palestinian state – including Gaza and the occupied West Bank – alongside Israel.
The, records the reactions that exist and refers to the next steps in the plan presented by the US president.
Why did Donald Trump now say this?
If Donald Trump is right in one thing, this is that decades of US diplomacy for Israel and Palestinians have failed to solve the conflict.
Proposals of peace and presidents came and left, but the problems flared. Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and the Gaza war that caused was the horrible results.
Trump made his millions as a real estate maker and, with this hat, made a completely valid observation: if Gaza is to be rebuilt, from the beginning in some places, it makes no sense hundreds of thousands of civilians finding refuge in the ruins.
The work of rebuilding Gaza will be monumental. Non -exploded ammunition and mountains from debris must be removed. The water and current lines must be repaired. Schools, hospitals and shops must be rebuilt.
Trump’s envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said this could take years – and while this will happen, the Palestinians should go somewhere.
However, instead of exploring ways to keep them close to their homeland, almost certainly in camps in the central and southern part of the Gaza Strip, Trump says he has to encourage them to leave – permanently.
Trump believes that in their absence, an idyllic, American ownership of the “Middle East Riviera” will be reborn from the ashes, providing thousands of jobs, investment opportunities and, ultimately, a place to live “people of the world”
Why are Trump’s comments so controversial?
Even for a president who spent much of his first term by overturning US policy in the Middle East – including the transfer of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the recognition of Israeli sovereignty to the occupied highlands of Golan. Amazing proposal.
Not even in their craziest dreams, no US president ever thought that the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would include the occupation of a Palestinian territory and the expulsion of its population. To be clear, doing this by force would be a serious violation of international law. Some Palestinians would probably choose to leave Gaza and rebuild their lives elsewhere. Since October 2023, they have already done it 150,000.
But others cannot or will not be able to, either because they do not have the financial means to do so or because their commitment to Gaza – part of the land called Palestine – is just very strong.
Many Gaza residents are descendants of people who left or were expelled from their homes in 1948 during the creation of the State of Israel – a time when the Palestinians call Nakba, the Arabic word for destruction. For the Palestinians who dream of their own state, along with Israel, the loss of a part of it will look like amputation.
Gaza is naturally separated from the West Bank from 1948. The previous rounds of negotiations, as well as Trump’s “Vision for Peace” for 2020, included plans for tunnels or railways that could connect these two areas. Now Trump essentially tells the Palestinians to leave Gaza once and for all.
While it does not seem to support the forced deportation of civilians – which is contrary to international law – Trump clearly encourages the Palestinians to leave. Palestinian officials have already accused Israel of preventing the supply of tens of thousands of caravans who could help Gaza residents stay in less damaged parts of the territory, while reconstruction is done elsewhere.
The Arab countries that Trump says they should accept up to 1.8 million refugees from Gaza, notably Egypt and Jordan, have expressed their anger. Both have quite a few problems without this additional weight.
What is the current regime of Gaza?
Gaza was occupied by Egypt for 19 years before being occupied by Israel in the six -day war in 1967. It is still considered occupied by Israel in accordance with international law, which Israel disputes. He claims that the occupation ended in 2005, when he unilaterally dismantled the Jewish settlements and withdrew his army. About three -quarters of the UN members recognize Gaza as part of the dominant Palestinian state, though the US does not.
Removed by the outside world by fences and an Israeli sea block, he never felt like a truly independent place. Nothing and no one moves in or out without Israel’s permission, and an international airport – opened amidst big fanfares in 1998 – was destroyed by Israel in 2001 during the second Palestinian uprising.
Israel and Egypt imposed Gaza exclusion, citing security reasons, after Hamas won the Palestinian elections in 2006 and expelled its opponents from the area after intense battles next year. Long before the last war, the Palestinians had ended up regarding Gaza as an open prison.
Could Trump understand Gaza if he wanted it?
It goes without saying that the US has no legal claim in the region and it is not clear how Trump intends to impose US sovereignty. As with his brutal allegations of the American control of Greenland or Panama Canal, it is not yet clear whether Trump really means it or whether the comments are an opening, a strange negotiating position in the face of a series of tough negotiations for the future Gaza. Various plans have been discussed for post -war Gaza governance.
In December, the two main Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, agreed to form a joint committee to supervise its administration – an agreement that has so far never ended up anything. Occasionally, discussions have focused on the creation of an international peacekeeping force, which may be made up of Arab troops.
Last month, (PA), which already has control of sections of the West Bank, and is ready to take over. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously insisted that the PA will have no role to play in the administration of post -war Gaza.
In a limited sense, American boots are already on the ground. A US security company has hired about 100 former US special forces to staff a vital checkpoint south of the city of Gaza and to control the Palestinian vehicles returning to the north. Egyptian security personnel have also appeared at the same checkpoint.
These could be the first, cowardly signs of an enlarged international – and probably under the leadership of the US – presence in Gaza. But this is almost no occupation by the US, which would require a large -scale military intervention in the Middle East – the kind of thing Trump has long told his voters that he wants to avoid.
Can there be an impact on the Israeli -Hamas truce?
Negotiations on the second phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas lasting two weeks have just begun, but it is difficult to see how Trump’s bomb statements will help promote them.
- The reactions: If Hamas feels that the final product of all this process is a deserted gauze – without not only Hamas but also all Palestinians – can conclude that there is nothing to discuss and keep the rest of the hostages he took on October 7, 2023. Netanyahu’s critics have accused him of looking for excuses to shake the negotiations and continue the war. It is certain that they will conclude that, with these comments, Trump is a willing accomplice.
- Supporters: On the other hand, the right -wing supporters of the Israeli prime minister welcomed the US plan, possibly reducing the risk of resignation from the cabinet and making Netanyahu’s immediate political future seem more secure. In this sense, Trump gave Netanyahu a strong motivation to continue the truce.
What did Donald Trump say about the West Bank?
When asked if he agrees with the fact that the US should recognize Israeli sovereignty in the occupied West Bank, Trump said he had not yet taken a stand, but that he would have a statement in four weeks.
- Why caused the Palestinian reaction: This comment triggered an alarm to the Palestinians, for whom such an announcement would be considered without question another nail in the coffin of the two states. The recognition of the legality of Israeli settlements on the West Bank would be a move with huge consequences. Most of the rest of the world considers them illegal under international law, though Israel disputes it.
- What had happened: During previous rounds of peace talks, the negotiators acknowledged that Israel could maintain large blocks of settlements as part of a final agreement, possibly in exchange for small pieces of Israeli territory.
- What does Abraham’s agreement provide for: In 2020, Trump mediated Abraham’s agreement, which secured the historical normalization of relations between Israel and two Arab states, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. The UAE signed this agreement on the condition that Israel would not annex parts of the West Bank – an agreement that can now be in danger.
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