WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his ignorance towards a proposal being discussed by Arab leaders as an alternative to his plan to take over Gaza once the war between Hamas and Israel ends.
During his flight on Air Force One, Trump responded to a reporter’s question by saying, “I haven’t seen it yet. Once I do, I will inform you.” This comes after Trump’s announcement earlier this month that he intends to forcibly relocate almost 2 million Palestinians from Gaza into neighboring Jordan and Egypt. He also stated that the United States will “own” the territory and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” which was met with rejection from Arab countries.
It is unclear whether Trump’s statement is a serious proposal or simply a bargaining tactic to extract concessions from Arab states. However, during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh this week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that it could be the latter, urging regional leaders to make a counteroffer.
Envoys from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates will gather in Riyadh on Friday to discuss potential options for Gaza’s reconstruction, including an Egyptian proposal to raise up to $20 billion over three years from Arab and Gulf states. Under this plan, Gazans would not be forced out, and the strip would be governed by Palestinians.
Trump’s trip to Miami, where he attended a conference hosted by the Future Investment Initiative Institute, the nonprofit arm of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, highlighted his strong relationship with the Saudi crown prince, known as MBS. This is the first time a U.S. president has addressed the annual gathering of global financiers and tech executives, showcasing the close ties that MBS has established with Trump.
MBS has continued business ties with the Trump organization while the president was out of office, including investing $2 billion into a firm belonging to Trump’s son-in-law and former aide, Jared Kushner. It is clear that Trump values the Golden Rule of “if you’re rich, you’re right,” as stated by Laura Blumenfeld, Senior Fellow at Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies.
As Saudi Arabia takes the lead in unifying Arab nations to support postwar Gaza, there are indications that Trump may be softening his demand for taking over the territory. In his hour-long speech at the conference, Trump did not mention Gaza beyond repeating his role in brokering the recent ceasefire.
“We’ve secured a ceasefire in Gaza, and we’re bringing in the hostages, and we’re bringing them home to their families,” Trump said, acknowledging the efforts of Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi wealth fund, and Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Jadaan. The White House has not yet responded to VOA’s inquiry regarding a potential meeting between Trump and the Saudi delegation at the event.
One proposal being discussed by Arab leaders is an Egyptian plan that would establish “secure areas” equipped with mobile houses and shelters for Gazans to live in while Egyptian and international construction firms rebuild the devastated infrastructure. It also suggests forming a national Palestinian committee of technocrats and community leaders, not affiliated with Hamas, to govern postwar Gaza.
However, it is unclear whether this plan has the support of the Palestinian Authority, the internationally recognized body currently ruling parts of the West Bank and administering Gaza until it lost the 2006 election to Hamas. According to Tariq Kenney-Shawa, U.S. Policy Fellow at the Palestinian Policy Network Al-Shabaka, a political solution for Gaza is needed to ensure long-term sustainability and to avoid returning to a situation of occupation.
Hamas, the militant group that currently controls Gaza, has indicated a willingness to cede any postwar governance role. “It is not necessary for Hamas to be part of the political and administrative arrangements in the next phase for Gaza, especially if it serves the interests of our people,” said Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qasim in an interview with Al Arabiya TV.
This statement comes as negotiations for phase two of the ceasefire are set to commence in the coming days after weeks of delay. However, it only meets part of the key demands from Israel and the United States – the elimination of Hamas’ governance and military control in postwar Gaza.
The exchange of hostages and prisoners between Israel and Hamas has also been expedited, leading some analysts to believe that both parties are anxious to secure what they can now,
