President Trump speaking to reporters on Air Force One (video snippet/@Acyn X)

In a dramatic statement aboard Air Force One, former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested a bold and controversial solution to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Trump proposed that Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordan, absorb Gazans into their territories, arguing that this approach could provide stability and an opportunity for the displaced population to "live in peace for a change." It would also right a 76 year old wrong in which Arab nations who were responsible for the displacement of their ancestors give the Palestinians citizenship in an Arab state.

Trump’s Vision: A Regional Solution

Speaking candidly with reporters, Trump detailed his conversation with Jordan’s King Abdullah II. "I told him, 'I'd love for you to take on more,' because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess," Trump said. He commended Jordan for its history of absorbing Palestinian refugees, referencing the kingdom's establishment as a solution for displaced Hashemites following World War I. Jordan, which occupies 73% of the land originally designated under the British Mandate of Palestine, has long been a focal point in the Palestinian refugee saga.

Trump’s remarks also revisited historical context, highlighting how Britain created Transjordan (modern-day Jordan) as a home for the Hashemite Kingdom after the family lost control of the Hejaz region in Western Saudi Arabia. Trump reiterated that Jordan already absorbed many Palestinians after their failed military campaigns against the Jewish State in 1948 and 1967. Many Israelis argue that Palestine effectively exists in Jordan, the "Arab State living side-by-side with the Jewish State in Mandatory Palestine is Jordan", one observer noted, emphasizing that the region’s history supports his proposal for resettlement.

Bold Calls to Egypt

Trump’s plan extended to Egypt, as well. "I’d like Egypt to take people," he stated. "You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, 'You know, it’s over.'" Trump referred to Gaza as "literally a demolition site," asserting that its current state leaves little room for rebuilding or sustainable living. Instead, he envisions Arab nations stepping in to construct housing and infrastructure in alternative locations. Egypt historically controlled Gaza and refused to take it back during the 1979 Peace Talks with Israel. Most Gazans are ancestrally linked to Egypt, it was a part of the Egyptian terrirotry under Ottoman rule and ruled by Egypt until they lost it and Sinai in the 1967 six-day-war.  

While acknowledging that such a plan could be temporary, Trump also alluded to the possibility of a long-term solution. "The region has had many, many conflicts," he noted. "Something has to happen. Almost everything’s demolished, and people are dying there. So, I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change." Saudi Arabia has a virtually empty city completer with housing and shelter in case of disaster, but has never offered it to Palestinians. In fact, no Arab nation has opened their doors for Palestinians while providing some path to citizenship. The Palestinians are seen as extremists and many moderate Arab states feel their presence would destabilise their countries.

Policy Shifts and Controversy

In a move that sparked international attention, Trump lifted the Biden administration’s ban on the transfer of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. When asked why he reversed the ban, Trump replied succinctly, "Because they bought them."

This decision came as Israel intensified its military operations in Gaza, particularly in the southern city of Rafah. Trump’s administration has consistently supported Israel’s right to defend itself, but his latest comments suggest a broader strategy aimed at resolving the conflict’s humanitarian fallout.

Arab Nations Push Back

The reaction from Arab nations has been notably resistant. Egypt and Jordan, both key players in the region, have consistently opposed the transfer of Palestinians. At the start of the current war, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi warned that resettling Gazans in Egypt could jeopardize his nation’s security and undermine the peace agreement with Israel.

Similarly, King Abdullah II has emphasized the need for a two-state solution that maintains Palestinian ties to Gaza and the "West Bank", the propagandist word for Judea and Samaria that they created in 1951 to eliminate Jewish connection to the land. Meanwhile, Abdullah ignores his nation's own founding and the fact the two-state solution has been in effect since Israel's founding with Jordan as the Arab State. While Trump characterized his conversation with Abdullah as focused on resettlement, the Jordanian royal court’s statement painted a different picture, stressing "the pivotal role of the U.S. in pushing all sides to work towards achieving peace, security, and stability for all in the region."

Historical Parallels and Lingering Tensions

Trump’s proposal evokes memories of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, when Arab nations urged Palestinians to flee their homes in anticipation of a military victory over the nascent State of Israel. When the war ended in Israeli triumph, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians became refugees, many of whom were never resettled by their host nations. Arab states have since framed this exodus as the "Nakba," or catastrophe, while critics argue that these nations perpetuated the refugee crisis for political leverage against Israel.

"The Arab Legion told Palestinians to leave, promising they could return after the Jews were driven out," an analyst on Israeli Channel 14 recounted. "But Israel won, and those who stayed became citizens. Those who left were abandoned by their own leaders."

Today, Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, and other Arab nations often face significant restrictions on their rights and citizenship. Trump's plan raises questions about whether these nations are prepared to take on additional populations from Gaza, given their historical reluctance to fully integrate existing refugees.

A Polarizing Proposal

Trump’s remarks have already sparked heated debate, with some praising his willingness to tackle the Gaza crisis head-on and others criticizing his apparent disregard for the complexities of regional politics. While his plan to resettle Gazans in Arab nations may appeal to some as a pragmatic solution, it faces formidable opposition from both Arab leaders and international observers who advocate for a two-state solution within the original borders of Israel and Palestine.

As the crisis in Gaza continues to unfold, Trump’s proposal underscores the need for bold, if controversial, ideas to address the humanitarian and political challenges that have plagued the region for decades.

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