Tuesday, Donald Trump hosted a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. During the press conference, Trump spoke about his solution to the current situation in Gaza.
Gaza is one of the most confusing subjects of geopolitics. The region frequently appeared in the news again on October 7th, 2023. Terrorist organisation Hamas launched an offensive against Israel, and took more than 200 hostages. This, in turn, led to an intense retaliation by the Israeli forces. A large part of Gaza has since been reduced to rubble, and there is still a humanitarian crisis. Seeking a resolution to the long-lasting tension between Israel and Palestine, remains a confusing but above all a delicate matter. During the press conference, it became clear what Trump’s Gaza plans are.
In short, Trump’s plan is to move roughly 1.8 million displaced Palestinians living in the Gaza strip to neighbouring countries. President Trump suggested that rich countries in the region could pay to have new living communities be built, and that they are more than happy to do so. Trump must have forgotten that these states believe in a Palestinian state. Not to mention they are not exactly on friendly terms with Israel.
But it does not end there. Trump has also expressed his vision for what comes after. He wants the US to take over the Gaza Strip, remove all the bombs and broken homes of those 1.8 million people and turn it into a resort. The idea is to create “a Riviera of the Middle East”. This shows that Trump is capable of combining his passions: Disregarding diplomacy, ignoring international checks & balances, disrespecting the lives of marginalized people and playing a nice round of golf at one of his resorts.
Israeli response
Trump said in the press conference that Gaza had turned into a hell and that it was better for the Palestinians to move away and allow America to “do a job” with the destroyed land they consider their home. One of the architects of that destruction, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu did not have a lot to say about Trump’s Gaza plans. In response to Trump suggesting that he take over Gaza, Bibi just said Trump is “thinking outside the box”. That’s one way to put it…
Later, Netanyahu called the plan remarkable. Members of the Israeli government are currently making plans for, what United Nations Secretary General Guterres aptly describes as, an ethnic cleansing of the Gaza strip. Netanyahu did seek to bring nuance to the statement about a permanent US takeover of the Gaza strip. Which makes sense. If I spent months bombing hospitals and refusing essential supplies to go to innocent people, I wouldn’t want it taken over by the US at the last minute either.
The cabinet of Netanyahu seems pleased. Many within the Israeli cabinet called the cease fire a failure, and the PM was harshly criticised for it. Particularly the far-right members of the cabinet want to see Gaza emptied and returned to the Jewish population for re-settlement. The proposed solution also comes in handy as it distracts from Netanyahu’s complete and utter failure to prolong the ceasefire, which he probably wasn’t that interested in, in the first place.
Picking fights with everyone
Now President Trump has not ruled out the use of military resources to get what he wants. To be fair, Trump has never ruled out the use of force. He would probably threaten military action against his son if he won’t do his homework. Trump’s statements are the latest in the streak of turning as many states against him as possible. After threats against Greenland, Panama, Mexico, and Canada, Trump now seeks to offend states in the Middle East, such has Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Palestine. International condemnation is large. Even now more and more world leaders are making it clear that what Trump said is unacceptable. Whether they will take any real action remains to be seen.
