Many Gaza questions are unanswered, such as cost, US military involvement, and where the Palestinians will go. But the resort will be stunning.
In a video announcement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump says “The US will take over the Gaza strip and we will do a job with it too. And we will own it.“
Here’s another video worth watching: President Trump says the Gaza Strip will become the “Riviera of the Middle East” just minutes after saying the U.S. would “take over” the Strip.
Riviera of the Middle East is not very inspiring. I propose Gaza-Lago.
And like you, I am inspired by AI renditions of what’s to come. Meanwhile, questions from skeptics abound.
The Wall Street Journal comments Proposal stuns Middle East experts and his own allies, leaving many questions unanswered.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip,” Trump said during a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. “I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East, and maybe the entire Middle East.”
The proposal, if implemented, would deeply involve the U.S. in a development project that Trump officials said earlier in the day could take 10 to 15 years. He left unaddressed how the U.S. would persuade Palestinians to voluntarily surrender their land and whether Israel would ultimately exercise sovereignty in the territory.
Trump didn’t rule out sending U.S. forces to hold Gaza, a deployment that could launch the kind of long-term American military occupation in the Middle East that Trump has long decried.
It wasn’t immediately clear how Trump’s plan could be implemented.
The Arab world is likely to reject Trump’s proposal, though initial responses were muted because it was the middle of the night there when the news conference happened.
Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right politician who dropped out of Netanyahu’s government over efforts to end the war, posted on X: “Donald, this looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Congressional Republicans and Democrats immediately expressed skepticism at the idea of the U.S. taking over Gaza.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), a staunch Trump ally, called the proposal interesting but problematic, and said his constituents wouldn’t like the idea. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D., Ariz.), a former Marine, said Trump was outlining an invasion of Gaza.
Middle East experts were left stunned.
Khaled Elgindy, a former senior adviser to the Palestinian Authority in negotiations with Israelis, called Trump’s proposal “truly bizarre and incoherent.”
“None of it makes any sense. Is he looking to develop Gaza as some kind of massive beachfront property? Is he talking about a U.S. occupation of Gaza? Will the U.S. force out two million Palestinians as part of the plan?” asked Elgindy, now at Georgetown.
White House officials argued Tuesday that mass relocation from Gaza was the only viable option and that they could persuade Egypt and Jordan to accept displaced Palestinians. Trump has invited Jordan’s King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi to the White House for talks later this month.
“At some point, we have to look realistically. How do you rebuild Gaza?” said White House national-security adviser Mike Waltz. “What does that look like? What’s the timeline? These people are sitting with literally thousands of unexploded ordnance, in piles of rubble.”
U.S. officials have yet to outline how they will remove Palestinians from Gaza if they don’t leave voluntarily. Moving forward with the plan could also undercut Trump and Netanyahu’s larger goal of reaching a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Many Questions, Some Answers
- White House national-security adviser Mike Waltz. “What does that look like? What’s the timeline? These people are sitting with literally thousands of unexploded ordnance, in piles of rubble.”
- Is he looking to develop Gaza as some kind of massive beachfront property? Is he talking about a U.S. occupation of Gaza? Will the U.S. force out two million Palestinians as part of the plan?” asked Elgindy, now at Georgetown.
My lead image addresses both of those questions. Some people are skeptical but not me. Here’s another image of the beautiful Gaza-Lago resort.
The entire sea-front will consist of developments like this.
Returning to the Real World
Moments ago I commented Trump says “US Will Take Over the Gaza Strip and Relocate All Palestinians”
Mish’s Five Observations
- Trump said he would deploy US troops to the territory “if it’s necessary.” Well, it would be necessary.
- Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan all disagree. They do not want Palestinians and the associated violence.
- The US does not want Palestinian refugees. Nor does Israel. Nor does the EU.
- The Palestinians do not want to be forcibly be removed and no country wants them anyway.
- There is no funding for Trump’s proposed military operation or cleanup operation.
Tut-tut you might be saying. I agree because I am newly inspired by visions of Gaza-Lago.