Describing it as breathtaking is an understatement.
US President Donald Trump has put forward a Middle East peace plan that suggests the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, the relocation of its population to new settlements in Jordan and Egypt, the transfer of sovereign territory to US ownership, and the complete redevelopment of Gaza as an international city – which he termed “a Middle East riviera.” Most of the funding for this initiative is expected to come from affluent regional nations such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
However, this plan does not include any provisions for a Palestinian state.
When specifically asked if his plan indicated a lack of support for a two-state solution, Mr. Trump responded: “It doesn’t mean anything about a two state or one state or any other state.”
“Hamas has made it so bad, so bad, so dangerous, so unfair to people. And by implementing my recommendations, we believe we can bring perhaps great peace to far beyond this area.”
“I must emphasize, this is not solely for Israel – This is for all in the Middle East, Arabs, Muslims. This is for everyone.”
“This would be a place where they can benefit from jobs, living conditions, and all the other advantages.”
Read more: Trump says US will ‘take over’ Gaza as he welcomes Netanyahu. Why Trump’s proposal on Gaza raises alarms in the region.
His rationale for such drastic measures is that Gaza has failed its residents, and that sticking to traditional strategies will likely lead to another war in the near future.
“You must learn from history,” he stated during a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mr. Trump added: “You can’t keep making the same mistake over and over again.”
“Gaza is a hellhole right now – It was even before the bombings began, frankly – and we’re going to offer people a chance to live in a beautiful, safe, and secure community. I believe you’ll witness tremendous support for this initiative.”
“I can tell you, I’ve spoken with other leaders in the Middle East, and they embrace this idea. They believe it could truly bring stability, and what we require is stability.”
Thus, there is no mention of a Palestinian state, and nothing about the two-state solution that has been central to US-Middle East policy for decades.
Moreover, without a defined path toward a Palestinian state, Saudi Arabia has clearly indicated that it will not agree to normalize relations with Israel—a crucial requirement for a nation that the president anticipates will bear the bulk of the cost of housing those displaced from Gaza.
Mr. Netanyahu was also not particularly enthusiastic about the proposal.
Watch: Trump discusses US ‘taking over’ Gaza to create ‘Riviera of the Middle East’
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Certainly, there was a significant amount of flattery in his comments to the press, but when directly asked about supporting the plan, he stated: “I reiterated our three objectives (the aims of the war in Gaza), with the third objective being to ensure that Gaza never poses a threat to Israel.”
“Once again, President Trump is elevating the conversation. He envisions a different future for that land, which has been the epicenter of much terrorism, numerous attacks against us, and countless trials and tribulations.”
“He presents a different idea, and I believe it’s worth considering. We’re discussing it. He’s exploring this with his team. I think it has the potential to change history and is truly worth pursuing.”
So he appeared quite non-committal. Mr. Netanyahu seemed more focused on continuing the conflict against Hamas, aiming to dismantle its military and governance capabilities in Gaza—stating that this was the first of Israel’s three war objectives (the others being the return of hostages and ensuring that Gaza never again becomes a security threat to Israel).
However, aside from the absence of endorsements and the crucial missing element that fuels the Palestinian struggle—a Palestinian state—it may be unwise to completely disregard the Trump plan.
Jared Kushner has also referred to Gaza as a significant redevelopment opportunity.
Indeed, he is a property developer, and this undoubtedly influences his perspective on various issues—particularly Gaza, where he seems to be returning to familiar concepts in an attempt to navigate a dire situation.
This leads to the discussion of a demolition site, which serves as a precursor to reconstruction.
Moreover, consider who else is aligned with this notion. Steve Witkoff, the president’s special envoy to the Middle East (and a key figure in achieving the ceasefire/hostage release arrangement), is a billionaire property developer from New York.
Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and former Middle East envoy, has similarly described Gaza as a significant redevelopment opportunity (as the president himself did as recently as last week).
Mr. Kushner also maintains close ties to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS).
MBS appointed the younger Kushner as an investment fund manager, entrusting him with $2 billion to invest for Saudi Arabia. (His father, another New York property developer, has been nominated by Mr. Trump as ambassador to Paris).
Just as Mr. Netanyahu was the inaugural visitor to the new Trump White House (having also visited him at Mar-a-Lago in July), MBS received the first phone call of the 47th Presidency.
All of this indicates that this concept, however implausible it may seem, was not spontaneously conceived just 20 minutes before Mr. Netanyahu’s arrival at the West Wing.
