Trump Is Ready to Upend The Status Quo in Gaza

by Farley Weiss, Chairman

2/8/2025, 7:34:51 PM

U.S. President Donald Trump’s groundbreaking idea about Gaza shows concern about the well-being of both the Palestinian Arabs and Israel. The rules of war say that those wanting to flee a war zone for their safety should be given refuge. In the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, for instance, some 7 million Ukrainians fled the war zone and found refuge in other countries.

There is a real wish among Palestinian Arabs to leave Gaza; some polls before the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, found that as many as 40% wanted to leave—and that was before the war. Arab countries, however, with the support of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres (and against international law), have refused to offer refuge to Gazans. Instead of finding safe harbor in a neighboring country, they have been used as human shields by Hamas making it difficult for Israel to take the actions necessary to defeat the terror group.

Once the war ends—with the hostages back home, Hamas defeated and Israel victorious—it is estimated that it will take 10 years or more to make the coastal enclave habitable once again. Where, then, should the Palestinian Arabs live? Trump rightly said that Arab states need to absorb them. Those who oppose his position show a disregard for the welfare of the very people they so desperately claim they want to help.

Trump believes that the United States should financially benefit by putting money into Gaza and rebuilding it. To ensure that the terrorists do not return and see a return on their investment in the Strip, the United States must maintain control even as it becomes a cosmopolitan city with a diverse population. For an idea of what could be, look at Monaco, which is even smaller than Gaza and remains highly desirable.

Interestingly, Trump’s critics say that if the Gazans leave voluntarily, they must be allowed to return, given that many people have left countries they have lived in for decades without any right of return. Ironically, some of the countries that oppose Trump’s plan are the same ones that kicked out their Jewish citizens after hundreds of years—seizing their homes, property, money, goods—with no hope of ever returning and no compensation.

It may be no surprise that Trump supports Israel and its leader, given that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have faced similar experiences in the last few years strengthening an already strong bond. Both men have faced political prosecutions on ridiculous charges; those against Trump have largely been dropped while Netanyahu’s trial continues to drag on, and the International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued a warrant for his arrest warrant.

Trump and Netanyahu have triumphed against enormous adversity. For Trump, it was a battle for voters to win the U.S. election and presidency. For Netanyahu, it has been the battle against Hamas, the obliteration of Hezbollah, the pulverization of the Syrian military and the crushing of Iran’s air defenses. Netanyahu and Trump respect each other’s tenacity, so it was fitting that the Israeli prime minister was the first foreign leader to visit him at the White House.

Those who oppose Trump’s plan have failed to present an alternative that would provide the Palestinian Arabs with a place to live while Gaza remains uninhabitable. They have also not provided sound reasons for why the United States should not help rebuild Gaza and ensure that it will not once again become a hotbed of terrorism.

Trump understands that Israel is America’s best ally, and that his actions and policies will strengthen that alliance, greatly benefiting both countries. He has also brought in a fresh new approach to the region—one that can bring peace to Israel’s southern border and provide better lives for Palestinian Arabs.