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Trump's Gaza Plan and Its Larger Meaning

(Commentary) Jonathan Schanzer - There is no way Arab states will accept hundreds of thousands of Gazans as refugees. It is an axiom of Arab thinking that Palestinians are expected to remain in Palestinian areas to serve the interests of Palestinian nationalism and put constant pressure on Israel. Yet, Trump articulated the obvious: This tiny territory, roughly the size of the District of Columbia, must undergo a wholesale transformation. Who is actually interested enough to effect such a transformation? After the Hamas slaughter of 1,200 Israelis, the possibility of a "two-state solution" has lost its salience. No Israeli politician or party of any size will consent to, or even have a concrete discussion about, the creation of a Palestinian state for a very, very long time, and everyone knows it. After the homicides, Israel will not commit suicide. Something must replace this self-defeating delusion. Trump's Gaza plan is something that the other side could never accept, but now the onus is on the Arabs to counter if they don't like it. He got their attention and has re-initiated a wider conversation about the future of the Middle East. The writer is senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
2025-02-18 00:00:00
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