(CLO) US President Donald Trump has caused a stir in public opinion when he announced that the US will "take over" and "own" the Gaza Strip, and wants to push Palestinians to neighboring countries.
The remarks came during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on February 4, marking the first official visit by a foreign leader since Trump took office.
It is unclear whether this is a serious proposal or just a gaffe. But his statement on February 4, as he stood next to Prime Minister Netanyahu, suggests he may be considering direct US involvement in Gaza.
When pressed, Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, insisted that the US was not committing to deploying ground troops to Gaza and that the Palestinian relocation would be “temporary.” But she offered no further details, leaving Trump’s proposal even more vague.
US President Donald Trump. Photo: White House
Taking over Gaza: Mission Impossible?
If Mr Trump really wants the US to take control of Gaza, he will face enormous obstacles. For one thing, there is no domestic support for the idea of sending troops into Gaza. Even Republicans close to Mr Trump, such as Senator Lindsey Graham, have expressed doubts.
In addition, the Palestinian resistance, despite suffering heavy losses after more than a year of fighting with Israel, has not been completely destroyed. Even the Israeli army, which has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians in its 15-month military campaign, cannot completely control Gaza. If the US were to occupy the area, they would certainly face a strong wave of resistance.
Moreover, Palestinians have historically resisted any attempt to force them out of their territory. In Gaza, millions have remained despite the fighting. Meanwhile, Hamas, despite its losses, has been able to regroup and continue its resistance.
In the United States, isolationist politicians, such as Senator Rand Paul, also spoke out against it. He stressed that the United States should not get bogged down in a new war, especially a costly and dangerous occupation.
What is Trump really after?
Some observers believe that Mr. Trump may not actually want to occupy Gaza, but is just creating pressure for Arab countries to participate in funding the reconstruction of this area.
Mr Trump's National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, suggested that the US President's message could be aimed at forcing countries in the region to "come up with their own solutions" rather than leave the burden to the US.
The idea of a “brand new” Gaza is not foreign to Mr Trump and his family, either. In March 2024, Mr Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, proposed that Israel “clean up” Gaza and turn it into a valuable coastal development hub.
Kushner, a real estate businessman, believes Gaza has great economic potential without the Palestinian presence.
Mr Trump later echoed this sentiment in a speech, saying “(We will) make it an incredible, international place”. He suggested that people from all over the world could come to live in Gaza.
Israel's plan?
Israel claims that its goal is to “eliminate” Hamas, but many analysts believe this is just a pretext for its plan to take complete control of Gaza. Even before the war, a leaked document from the Israeli Intelligence Ministry proposed expelling Palestinians from Gaza and sending them into the Sinai desert.
Israeli government ministers, especially hardliners, have repeatedly pushed the idea of expelling Palestinians, so Mr Trump’s announcement is likely to be welcomed by them.
But even if Israel wanted to turn Gaza into a “no man’s land,” it has yet to figure out how to do it. The conflict, which has lasted more than a year, has yet to achieve its goal of complete control of the enclave.
Hoai Phuong (according to AJ, Guardian, CNN)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/dong-co-dang-sau-loi-keu-goi-kiem-soat-gaza-cua-ong-trump-la-gi-post333255.html
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