By Zo Terrana
Staff Writer
President Donald Trump announced a controversial takeover plan of Gaza during a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Feb. 5. This was the president's first meeting with a foreign leader since taking office last month.
Trump, while conversing with Netanyahu, proposed a United States control plan for the Palestinian city of Gaza. According to AP News, this takeover would entail the permanent resettlement of Palestinians in the Gaza area.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump stated at the news conference with Netanyahu.
The president has also stated that the restoration of Gaza would be “world class” and would be great for the Palestinian people. Trump’s outlined plan would be headed by the U.S. after the Palestinians are resettled “elsewhere.”
The resettlement proposal includes building new settlements for Palestinans outside the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Prime Minister was “visibly pleased” with Trump’s remarks as he detailed the takeover but did not publicly endorse Trump’s plan for Gaza.
Trump added that the U.S. will be responsible for rebuilding the war-torn city. This entails an operation to uncover the unexploded bombs among various other weapons scattered within the land. Once this phase is completed, the land must be leveled through the expulsion of destroyed buildings. Trump stated he would transform the land into the “Riviera” of the Middle East once the future plan is implemented.
According to AP News, many countries like Egypt, Jordan and other U.S. allies have warned Trump about the potential consequences of this possible resettlement plan. The relocation of Palestinians could further destabilize the Middle East.
On Feb. 11, Trump met with the king of Jordan, Abdullah II, to discuss his plan for the city of Gaza. Here, Trump again prompted the U.S. acquisition of Gaza. According to the Washington Post, Abdullah is walking a fine line regarding Trump's proposal. While he doesn't want to alienate the president, given that Jordan receives yearly monetary aid, he also cannot accept Trump's proposition of Jordan taking Gazans from the city.
“This is something that we as Arabs will be coming to the United States with something that we’re going to talk about later,” the Jordan king said.
Abdullah specified about his unwavering commitment to his country's opposition to the ousting of Gazans from Palestine. Abdullah pledged to take in 2,000 children from the city and reaffirmed his proposed solution, which he believes encompasses positives for every party involved. However, the leader did not directly address Trump's demands for the take over, choosing instead to wait and consider the proposals that Egypt brings to the table.
The Egyptian foreign minister, Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty, met with Trump officials in Washington to discuss the future of Gaza. Their proposed plan called for the creation of a Palestinian committee of technocrats to ultimately oversee Gaza. This committee would manage rebuilding projects and ensure the presence of Palestinian police presence for security. This plan differs from the previous presidential administration, where Biden administration officials recommended that Gaza be governed by the West Bank's Palestinian authority.
According to AP News, Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, along with other Middle Eastern nations expressed strong opposition to the removal of Palestinians from their land for the sake of rebuilding. This is a proposition that Saudi Arabia is unwilling to negotiate.
Other foreign leaders, including the Prime Ministers of Australia and Ireland, support a two-state solution. This sentiment was backed by Chinese, New Zealander and German foreign ministries, along with a Russian ambassador.
Palestinian residents of Gaza have strongly criticized Trump’s plan for their resettlement. A portion of the Gaza population has vowed not to leave their land, even if their houses have been destroyed. This population sees Gaza as their homeland and have returned to their homes after the war has settled down.
Many Gazans who have returned found their surroundings in ruins, with limited access to water and electricity. The future for Gazans remains uncertain, with challenging times that could last a substantial period.
Aside from criticism from the Middle East, there has been congressional criticism directed at Trump as well. According to AP News, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons reprimanded the president, calling the plan foolish, dangerous and insane.
Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who is of Palestinian descent, lambasted the president in a social media post, calling the idea of forcibly resettling Gazans “ethnic cleansing.”
Trump has not clarified how the U.S. would implement the resettlement plans for the displaced and homeless Gazans. Approximately 1.8 million people in the city have been forced to leave their homes, according to The New York Times.
Trump’s speculative Gaza takeover has escalated tensions in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Hamas has rejected Trump’s proposal, thus weakening the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. According to NBC News, Hamas has lashed out at Netanyahu’s decision at supporting Trump’s plan, saying it is a “return to aggression” within Gaza. This weakening of the ceasefire deal potentially could worsen the humanitarian crisis for people within Gaza.
