cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/54635924

Reuters discusses former U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial proposal for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and transform it into a luxurious "Riviera of the Middle East" while resettling Palestinians elsewhere. This plan has been widely condemned by international powers, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, France, China, Russia, and several European nations, all of which reaffirmed their support for a two-state solution.

Trump suggested that Jordan and Egypt could be persuaded to accept displaced Palestinians, though both countries have rejected the idea. Critics argue that forced displacement of Palestinians would violate international law and destabilize the region. The Palestinian militant group Hamas dismissed Trump's proposal as "ridiculous and absurd," while Palestinians fear another "Nakba" (catastrophe), referring to the mass displacement during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

Saudi Arabia reaffirmed that it would not normalize relations with Israel without a Palestinian state, contradicting Trump's claim that Riyadh was open to normalization without such conditions. The proposal has raised concerns about worsening regional tensions and whether it is a serious policy initiative or a bargaining tactic.

Opinion: This reeks of tactics to drum up war in the Middle East. By bullying the little sibling that is Palestine, Trump looks to provoke the bigger Islamic states into conflict. With Trump's track record of arrogance and the already poor relationship that the United States has with countries like Iran and Iraq, that conflict is likely to happen. If Trump and his administration continues this route, there is bound to be retaliation from Palestinian supporters, and they will have a backing that will enable them to do so. It would then be the Trump administration's agenda to find a large enough enemy to blame and then likely invade.