After the disturbing ceremony where Hamas returned the four host bodies, it’s natural to wonder if the Trump administration will revisit its plans for Gaza. There’s no denying that the Republican party has a limited understanding of the Middle East’s complex reality. Donald Trump’s proposal for Gaza seems to be the result of conversations with wealthy real estate developers and American businessmen who discuss politics in the dining rooms and golf courses of his Mar-A-Lago Club. In these conversations, Gaza is viewed as just a real estate property that the United States can “possess,” expel its residents, and then force its neighbors to accept two million Palestinians.
The situation with the returned bodies and the tycoon’s words have sparked concerns about rising Israeli nationalism. Donald Trump’s plan emboldens the Israeli right and strengthens Hamas’s determination. It’s not surprising, given that after announcing his plan, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that “the plan presented by Trump would be the true response to the massacre of October 7. Those who perpetrated the worst massacre in our land will be losing their own life forever.” Trump’s plans exacerbate tensions and can be one of several factors that collapse the fragile ceasefire. However, his words divert attention from options that could reduce Palestinian suffering and improve Israeli security. Respected social scientist and pollster Dahlia Scheindlin pointed out in a recent article by “Haaretz Magazine” that both Palestinians and Israelis, with good leadership, economic plans, and international support, could launch a trajectory that could create a political agreement to contain violence.
Are Abraham’s agreements in danger? Any perspective of strengthening and expanding these agreements, designed to include Israel in the family of Middle East countries, is now at risk. Israel and the United States are seen by many in the Arab world as guilty of committing genocide in Gaza, making Trump’s plan a platform for ethnic cleansing. The agreements, aimed at fostering peace and cooperation, are jeopardized by the current instability and perceived injustices.
In this context of instability, the bordering countries will be the most affected by the possibility of a massive exodus of Gazans. Specifically, Jordan and Egypt are likely to bear the brunt of this crisis. The president of the United States, Donald Trump, wants to expel Gazans from their land and have Egypt and Jordan accept most of the two million Palestinians. However, these two countries are characterized by their low income and are not in a position to receive and repatriate the Palestinians who consider Gaza as their homeland, rather than just a real estate property. Both countries have openly rejected Trump’s vision of ethnic cleansing, leaving the fate of the Gazans and the region’s stability uncertain.
