Trump’s Middle East Blueprint: Gaza an ‘international’ city and an overture to Iran

Brilliance or folly?

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US president Donald Trump at the White House earlier today. Trump was able to salvage Netanyahu’s political life with a grand vision of the MENA he is trying to sell.

At a press conference after Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu, Trump outlined how the US would move into Gaza and redevelop the area as an international Mediterranean Riverina city. The Palestinians would be relocated to Egypt and Jordan. Its very unclear who would own the sovereignty of Gaza and whether the Palestinians would be allowed back into Gaza.

Trump said Gaza would become an international city.

One would assume that any Palestinians would not be able to return and resume residence free. The land would be in the hands of developers, who would certainly be profit orientated. The usual suspects will be rubbing their hands with glee with the massive real estate development that would commence under the plan.

Trump also spoke about Iran saying the only condition he had with negotiating with the US is that Iran gave a pledge they would not develop nuclear weapons. Trump elaborated that if Iran gave that commitment, a prosperous relationship could be developed by both the US and Israel with Iran.

Trump supporters are now embracing the plan as brilliant. However, there are many sceptical that Egypt, Jordan, and the Palestinians themselves would come close to accepting such a plan. The plan appears to caste aside the Palestinians, especially when Israel is still conducting military operations in the West Bank.

A senior Hamas official has already said that “We consider it a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region. Our people in the Gaza Strip will not allow these plans to pass….” The Palestinians are rooted in their land.

The big winner tonight is Benjamin Netanyahu, he has another life as prime minister, even with corruption proceedings still going on against him. At the time of writing, there has been little response from those who oppose the idea, but this should be forthcoming over the next few hours.

The risk is that Trump might be leading the US military into war in the interests of a “Greater Israel”. Is this a dream? Under such a plan the Gazans will become a forgotten people.

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