The Rationale Behind Trump's Plan

Friday, 7 February 2025 | US President Donald Trump's proposal to relocate Gaza's residents to other countries shocked the Arab world and was met with widespread opposition. Many international figures also dismissed it as unrealistic, yet an objective review suggests it's entirely logical.

Imagine an educated alien diplomat arriving from another galaxy and being introduced to the "two-state solution." He would be baffled: "Why cram 15 million Jews and Palestinians into a narrow strip between the Jordan River and the sea, splitting it into two states? To the east, there's Jordan, a mostly uninhabited desert.

“To the southwest, the Sinai, three times Israel’s size with only 600,000 people. South of Eilat, there's the vast Saudi desert. Why are Earth’s people obsessed with the 'two-state solution' and insist it's not just the best but the only option?"

This solution rests on four assumptions accepted without scrutiny for 32 years: that the conflict must be resolved territorially in the narrow strip between the Jordan and the sea; that a sovereign Palestinian state is necessary; that Gaza and the West Bank must be part of the same state and that Israel’s border with a Palestinian state must be based on the 1967 borders, with minor adjustments. Every attempt to implement this plan has failed—it's time to reassess these assumptions.

Trump's proposal makes perfect sense when considering three factors: Firstly, we should look at the numbers. The Sinai is 167 times larger than Gaza, yet its population is only a third of Gaza’s. Gaza's population density is 500 times that of Sinai. If the world truly wants to help Gazans, Trump is pointing in the right direction.

Secondly, 75% of Gaza’s residents hold UN refugee cards, meaning they claim to be living there temporarily. This contradicts Palestinian claims that Gaza is their land and that they will never leave. They must decide: are they refugees seeking relocation or people rooted in their homeland?

Third, during the Ukraine war, over two million civilians temporarily relocated to Poland and Moldova. Why is this approach considered logical in Europe but not in the Middle East? Throughout history, wars have displaced tens of millions, permanently reshaping borders. Israel should have annexed northern Gaza, from the Netzarim Corridor northward, when it had the chance in November 2023.

Regarding northern Gaza today, Hamas pushed hundreds of thousands of people northward into an area without tents or water infrastructure. Now, there's pressure to provide them with shelters and bulldozers to rebuild. Israel must refuse. The war isn't over and excessive generosity is unwarranted until all hostages are returned home. This is Israel’s only remaining leverage.