On Gaza and Trump
Donald Trump, never one for subtlety and solemnity, has dropped another geopolitical blow—this time, on Gaza. In a move that sounds like a cross between a real estate commercial and a colonial fever dream, he has announced that the U.S. will “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip. Yes, that’s right. The President who once tried to buy Greenland has now decided to go full landlord on Palestine, promising to turn the war-torn enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Because clearly, what Gaza needs is not an end to occupation or self-determination, but palm trees, five-star hotels, and maybe a Trump-branded golf course.
Now, the fine print of this grand plan includes an exciting twist—Palestinians, who have lived there for generations, will be “resettled elsewhere.” Where? Who knows? Maybe Florida? Or perhaps Jared Kushner has a few vacant properties lying around in the West Bank. Either way, this magical solution completely ignores the fact that Palestinians have a pesky little habit of wanting to stay in their homeland. Hamas, which runs Gaza, is unlikely to pack its bags and say, “Well, thank you for the redevelopment offer, but we’re actually quite attached to our land.” No, Hamas is more likely to interpret this as an open invitation to launch a new wave of resistance, complete with rockets, tunnels, and a dramatic soundtrack.
Over in Tehran, the Ayatollahs are probably throwing a victory party, because this is the best recruitment ad Iran could have asked for. For years, Iran has been telling the world that America and Israel are out to erase Palestinian identity. And now, Trump comes along and says, “Yep, that’s exactly what we’re doing.” Iran, ever the opportunist, will ramp up its funding to Hamas and Hezbollah, ensuring that Israel’s security nightmare doesn’t end anytime soon. If Trump thinks he’s solving a problem, he’s actually putting the region on a one-way track to an even bigger explosion—metaphorically and, quite possibly, literally.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin must be cackling in the Kremlin. The Russian leader loves nothing more than a good U.S. blunder, and this one is a masterpiece. Moscow will happily step in as the new “reasonable” power in the Middle East, offering its services as a peace broker while selling a few weapons on the side.
And what about China? Well, Beijing has spent years carefully cultivating ties with Arab nations, investing billions through its Belt and Road Initiative, all while staying out of messy Middle Eastern politics. Now, thanks to Trump, China gets to play the good cop to America’s bad cop. Expect statements from Beijing about the “right to self-determination” and “peaceful conflict resolution,” followed by lucrative infrastructure deals across the Arab world. If the U.S. is the loud, brash casino owner barging into the region, China is the quiet businessman taking notes and waiting to buy the whole block once the dust settles.
Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, is probably in panic mode. President el-Sisi, who already has enough problems juggling a struggling economy and an unhappy population, now has to deal with the possibility of thousands—if not millions—of displaced Palestinians trying to enter his country. If Trump thinks his plan is going to be met with open arms in Cairo, he’s about to learn that Egyptians have a long history of saying “no” to imperialist adventures. And if el-Sisi even considers playing along with this scheme, he might find himself dealing with mass protests faster than you can say “Arab Spring 2.0.”
Saudi Arabia is in a similar predicament. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been cautiously tiptoeing toward normalizing relations with Israel, but this plan could force him into a corner. On one hand, he wants closer ties with the U.S. and Israel for economic and strategic reasons. On the other hand, if he’s seen endorsing the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, he might just spark a regional revolt, and not the fun kind. The Saudi leadership loves power, but they love stability even more. If Trump’s plan starts shaking up the Arab world, Riyadh might have to pretend it never heard about it.
Meanwhile, over in Ankara, President Erdoğan is probably drafting a 15-minute speech condemning the move while throwing in some poetic references to Ottoman history. Erdoğan has built his brand on being the loudest voice for Palestinian rights, and Trump just handed him a golden opportunity to double down. Turkey might increase support for Hamas, ramp up diplomatic pressure on Israel, and—if things get really interesting—position itself as the regional counterweight to both Israel and the U.S. in the conflict.
And then there’s Israel, which might be celebrating now but could soon regret this whole thing. Sure, the Israeli government loves a plan that involves fewer Palestinians in Gaza, but at what cost? If Hamas gets stronger, Hezbollah gets bolder, and international condemnation reaches new heights, Israel could find itself more isolated than ever. Even its European allies, who have been fairly tolerant of Israeli policies, might start pulling away. Because, let’s face it, even the most pro-Israel European leaders will struggle to justify a U.S.-led eviction of Palestinians. At some point, the international community might have to draw the line, and when they do, Israel could find itself in a diplomatic mess of its own making.
Speaking of Europe, this is the moment Brussels collectively sighs, shakes its head, and starts drafting statements about the importance of international law. The EU, which has long supported a two-state solution, will likely oppose Trump’s plan outright. France and Germany, in particular, might push for stronger recognition of Palestinian statehood, just to spite Washington. And given that Europe is already trying to chart a more independent foreign policy, this could be the nudge it needs to further distance itself from U.S. leadership.
So, in summary: Hamas is ready to fight, Iran is thrilled, Russia and China are watching with popcorn, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are sweating bullets, Erdoğan is preparing for a big speech, Israel is playing with fire, and Europe is getting increasingly annoyed. And all because Donald Trump thought he could fix the Israeli-Palestinian conflict the same way he fixes his hotels—by knocking everything down and pretending nothing was there before.
If history has taught us anything, it’s that forced displacement and imperial land grabs don’t usually end well. But who knows? Maybe Trump will surprise us all and unveil a brilliant plan to relocate Palestinians to Mar-a-Lago, where they can live in peace between rounds of golf. Until then, the Middle East is bracing for impact, because this is one real estate deal that could blow up in everyone’s face—literally.
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Rajeev Ahmed
The Editor of Geopolits.com and the Author of the book titled Bengal Nexus
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