Donald Trump’s solution for Gaza has stunned politicians and diplomats. But for a man ignorant of history and the specifics of the Middle East, such a scandalous idea makes sense.
It would be wrong to dismiss Trump’s comments on Gaza as misplaced, as his statements are often deemed. This is not the first time in recent days that he has proposed the removal of all Palestinians from Gaza. It’s an idea he has reiterated and now embellished, an idea so blatant that it has bewildered experts in diplomacy and politicians in the Middle East.
How could such a thing work? The forced displacement (as it certainly would not be voluntary) of two million people would be a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions. It would be ethnic cleansing, as highlighted by Sky News.
Perhaps Gaza is "hell," as Trump says, but ask any resident there, and they will tell you it's their home, no matter how it may be.
Who would force them to leave? Armed American troops, pushing them across the border into an unwelcoming Egypt or onto ships? And from there, where to? Just imagine.
Will Western allies really comply? Most of them still cling to the idea of a two-state solution. It would require American soldiers deployed in Gaza for over a decade - would Congress authorize such a thing? Unlikely.
And with what mandate? Gaza is not a territory for Israel to take or for America to occupy. Trump cannot take Gaza just as he cannot own Greenland, unless he intends to take it by force. Gaza is not a real estate deal in New York, as the source cited writes, following Trump's "logic."
But unrealistic or not, this scenario is a political lifeline for Benjamin Netanyahu, under pressure from the right-wing members of his coalition to resume fighting against Hamas.
This plan is fresh meat for those extremist factions that have long desired the occupation of Gaza and will now take care of it.
Could There Be Something Else at Play?
At least for a while, Trump's idea may divert attention from any serious and practical discussion about what is happening in Gaza, who governs it, who is actually rebuilding it - a discussion long overdue.
And it's not out of the question that this is a deliberate distraction. Trump's suggestion would not only violate international law but also his own long-standing opposition to American wars in the Middle East and America's footing the bill for others' problems. It's hard to see how this fits with the "America First" agenda.
But unrealistic or not, it's a political lifeline for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under pressure to resume fighting from the right-wing members of his coalition.
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So we can ask, is there something else at play?
If there is a prize that Netanyahu and Trump both desire above all else, it is a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh promptly responded to Trump's comments, reinforcing its position and insisting on the Palestinian status in exchange for an agreement. But that won't happen either.
So, Trump might be drawing some false negotiation lines. Creating artificial problems to provide the parties with a peg to lower, estimates the source cited.
Trump's comments were so unexpected, so scandalous, so unrealistic that they may just be part of something bigger. If not, and if Trump is indeed serious, then there will be problems. For everyone.
Trump, the Ignorant Leader of the Free World
Whatever lies behind this, Trump's solution betrays his ignorance of history and could exacerbate the conflict in Gaza. But for a man ignorant of the history and specifics of the Middle East, such a thing makes sense.
The people in Gaza have no homes to return to; their land is a hell that has brought them only suffering. Surely, the world can come together and turn it into a beautiful place to live.
Donald Trump should know better than anyone. After all, he is the leader of the free world and has as many foreign policy advisers as he wants. If he had asked them, they would have told him that there are several issues with his proposal for people to leave Gaza and not return, writes Sky News.
Firstly, these people consider Gaza their home. They are extremely proud of their heritage and history of being there. Ask anyone who has ever been to Gaza.
Secondly, unlike the US president's assertion that many countries have offered to help and accept residents from Gaza onto their territory, none has publicly made such an offer. In fact, Israel's neighbors, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, have rejected the idea.
But thirdly, there is a long and dark history of Palestinians being urged or forced to leave their homes never to return.
Many of those living in Gaza refugee camps are descendants of the victims of the catastrophe (Nakba, as they call it) in 1948 when, during Israel's first war of independence, they were forced to leave the land that is now in Israel.
These people believe they should be allowed to return to that place that they claim was wrongfully taken by the Israelis. Any acceptance of another exodus would be a betrayal of their ancestors' rights to return, they believe.
In the early days of the Gaza war, Israeli right-wing politicians discreetly floated the idea that the world might welcome Gaza residents and offer them a better life.
It seems that Donald Trump has taken up this idea, despite all the obvious deficiencies of such an endeavor. This will embolden the far-right Jewish extremists in Netanyahu's government who openly advocate for the return of Israeli settlers to occupy Gaza.
But that won't bring a solution to this conflict. On the contrary.
T.D.