Washington, D.C.: U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed permanently resettling displaced Palestinians from Gaza outside the war-torn region, suggesting that the U.S. could take “ownership” of redeveloping Gaza into what he described as “the Riviera of the Middle East.
Trump uttered the controversial statement while greeting the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Tuesday. His plan, which involves mass displacement of about 1.8 million Palestinians and resulting control of Gaza under U.S. supervision, has made Middle Eastern countries nervous and might derail current ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.
Trump’s Proposal and Regional Reactions
The U.S. President stated that he and his administration have been discussing the possibility of resettling Gaza’s displaced population with leaders from Jordan, Egypt, and other regional nations. However, these countries have strongly opposed any mass relocation of Palestinians, warning that such a move could destabilize the region and escalate the ongoing conflict.
Egypt and Jordan, both important U.S. partners in the Middle East, have raised the same concern that Trump plan may undermine long awaited two-state solution. The Palestinian leadership has also firmly rejected the idea, viewing it as an attempt to erase Palestinian identity and sovereignty.
Trump, however, defended his proposal, stating, “I would like to see an agreement where people are permanently resettled in nice homes, where they can be happy and not be shot, not be killed.
JUST IN: President Trump says the Gaza Strip will become the “Riviera of the Middle East” just minutes after saying the U.S. would “take over” the Strip.
“We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal.”
“I don’t wanna be cute. I don’t wanna be a wise guy, but… pic.twitter.com/zC1GIo7lfw
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 5, 2025
Potential Impact on Ceasefire Talks
Trump’s remarks take place when diplomatic work is centralized around the hope of extending the tenuous truce between Israel and Hamas. The present talks are proceeding with the objective of obtaining the continued release of Palestinian hostages in Gaza and to permit greater humanitarian assistance and reconstruction activities in the war-torn area.
The Gaza Strip has been devastated over the last 15 months, with over 47,500 Palestinian fatalities since the conflict escalated on October 7, 2023. The humanitarian crisis has generated increasing pressure on Israel and the USA to adopt a strategy of rebuilding instead of pushing forced resettling schemes.
Protests Erupt Outside the White House
When Netanyahu arrived for the meeting with the president, some Palestinians staged a protest outside the White House denouncing the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister. Protesters held Palestinian flags and shouted “Free, free Palestine” and “Stop to host the war criminal”.
Many protesters carried signs like “Prime Minister of Genocide”, “Netanyahu is a War Criminal”, and “Israel Kills.” The demonstrations stemmed from a growing resistance to Israeli military operations in Gaza and a growing resistance to U.S. backing of the Netanyahu government.
U.S.-Israel Relations Amid the Conflict
Netanyahu’s visit is a turning point in the U.S.-Israel relationship, because the Biden administration is wrestling with domestic and international criticism. Although the U.S. has long been an ally to Israel, recent voices demanding accountability for the humanitarian disaster of Gaza have soured diplomatic relations.
Trump’s resettlement plan is therefore likely to attract strong opposition both inside the United States and abroad, who contend that displacing the Palestinians instead of trying to reach an agreement with the Palestinians is counterproductive to the stability of the region in the long term.
What’s Next?
In the meantime, the effort continues, this time revolving around the effort to secure humanitarian assistance, how infrastructure can be put back in place and to keep the situation from escalating. Although Trump’s proposal to relocate the Gaza population of displaced persons has brought renewed aggro, its implementation and acceptance at the international level is very uncertain.
Meanwhile, while diplomatic efforts are still ongoing, the rest of the world is closely watching to see how U.S. foreign policy regarding Gaza will develop in the next few weeks.
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