If we could pick out one phrase to characterize the first week of “Trump II – Return of The Donald,” it would be “fast and furious.” He’s been lobbing executive orders and policy proposals around with abandon, determined to get as much done, as fast as possible. Some of those proposals we may have initially dismissed as trial balloons – like his intention to purchase Greenland from Denmark. But he seems to be serious in settling some unpleasant situations in one of the world’s most unpleasant places, the Middle East.
Advertisement
In his latest move, he’s proposing to “clean out” the Gaza Strip by nudging Jordan and Egypt to accept more Palestinian refugees. During a Q&A session with the press on Air Force One on Saturday, President Trump floated this latest idea.
President Donald Trump said he would like to see Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations increase the number of Palestinian refugees they are accepting from the Gaza Strip, potentially moving out enough of the population to “just clean out” the war-torn area to create a virtual clean slate.
During a 20-minute question-and-answer session Saturday with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump also said he has ended his predecessor’s hold on sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. That lifts a pressure point meant to reduce civilian casualties during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, which is now halted by a tenuous ceasefire.
“We released them today,” Trump said of the bombs. “They’ve been waiting for them for a long time.” Asked why he lifted the ban on those bombs, Trump responded, “Because they bought them.”
The bombs, of course, were already purchased; the Biden administration had blocked the transfer.
Previously on RedState: Hamas to Announce Fate of Bibas Toddlers and Parents
Advertisement
Trump Overturns Biden’s Duplicity and Orders US to Resume Shipments of 2,000-lb Bombs to Israel
But as for Gaza:
“I’d like Egypt to take people, and I’d like Jordan to take people,” Trump said. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, we just clean out that whole thing.”
Trump said he complimented Jordan for having successfully accepted Palestinian refugees and that he told the king, “I’d love for you to take on more, cause I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess.”
Such a drastic displacement of people would openly contradict Palestinian identity and deep connection to Gaza. Still, Trump said the part of the world that encompasses Gaza, has “had many, many conflicts” over centuries. He said resettling “could be temporary or long term.”
It’s an interesting idea, but, likely, the “Palestinian” population of Gaza won’t want to go – or, to put it more succinctly, Hamas won’t allow them to go, whether they would or not.
The tragedy of Gaza, of course, lies not with Israel, or for that matter with Jordan or Egypt. The fact is that the Gaza Strip, which faces the balmy Mediterranean and has lovely, golden sand beaches, could have been a tourist paradise, much like Dubai. The people living in Gaza could have partnered with any number of hotel and restaurant chains to build in the area, to attract visitors from around the world. Gaza could have been developed, civilized, and prosperous.
Advertisement
But the people of Gaza voted for Hamas instead.
It’s doubtful that Gaza will be, as President Trump puts it, “cleaned out.” Hamas won’t allow the people there to leave voluntarily, and they won’t allow them to live any other way than they are – in danger and misery.
Until Hamas is no longer a factor, nothing in Gaza will change.
