Donald Trump’s plan to ‘ethnically cleanse’ Palestinians from Gaza to construct a ‘Riviera of the Middle East’ has been described as a ‘recipe for chaos’ in an already destabilised region.
Even Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu looked surprised – but then delighted – because the US president told reporters on the White House about his proposal to permanently ‘resettle’ 1.8 million people.
‘It’s their home, sir!’ a journalist could be heard within the background. Nowhere has the backlash been more forceful than within the Middle East.
It isn’t the primary time in recent days that the Republican has flaunted such a ‘ridiculous and absurd’ plan that reconsiders the long run of an independent Palestinian state.
Does Trump risk an all-out war within the region? Where would Palestinians be resettled? Does his plan endanger the ceasefire in Gaza?
These are a few of the questions Metro asked Middle East experts Hugh Lovatt and Baraa Shaiban.
Why does Trump want Gaza? Key takeaways from his plan
In his first major Middle East policy announcement, Trump declared that the US should seize control of Gaza and permanently remove PalestiniansEgypt and Jordan.
He said he envisioned constructing the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’, a type of a resort which might offer ‘unlimited numbers of jobs and housing’ for international communities.
The US president said he envisioned a ‘long-term’ ownership of the territory but he didn’t explain how and under what authority he can take over the land of Gaza.
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‘We’ll own it and be chargeable for dismantling all of the damaging unexploded bombs and other weapons on the location,’ he said.
Is the US president’s plan actually feasible?
Hugh Lovatt, from the European Council on Foreign Relations, said that the policy is ‘unlikely to be implemented’ attributable to the strong opposition of each Jordan and Egypt.
‘The 2 countries would must cope with the potential implications,’ he warned. ‘They might not have the opportunity to handle so many Palestinians.
‘Such displacement would impose a rare stress on the already fragile economies of Jordan and Egypt, for one. They’re combating unemployment.
‘Britain has its own issue with migration. Imagine the response we’d have with 1.8 million people arriving at our borders.
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‘Egypt can also be removed from democratic, nevertheless it is sensitive to the opinion of the general public, particularly on this issue. Neither nation would need to be seen as supporting a plan viewed by Arabs because the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. It’s a red line for Jordan and Egypt.’
Irrespective of how much pressure Trump tries to impose on the 2 nations with the potential withdrawal of US aid, they’d not conform to his plan, Baraa Shaiban explained.
‘Arab nations are already under huge pressure from their people who they’ve not opposed the war strongly enough,’ he said.
Lovatt agreed that Trump may deploy his usual ‘bullying’ tactics and end financial and military support to twist Egypt and Jordan’s arms.
Each experts agreed that this by itself would create further tensions within the region and destabilise it.
How have Middle East nations responded?
Each Egypt and Jordan have condemned Trump’s plans and rejected his suggestion that they absorb as many as 1.8 million Palestinian refugees.
Saudi Arabia issued an overnight statement rejecting the concept of transfer and reiterating that it’ll not normalise relations with Israel – a key goal of the Trump administration – without the establishment of a Palestinian state including Gaza.
The proposal also risks undermining the ceasefire in Gaza and release of hostages.
Could this spark a wider war within the region?
Shaiban, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) analyst, doesn’t see an all-out war engulfing the Middle East over Trump’s plan.
‘To start with, I used to be quite surprised that the president re-emphasised this narrative,’ he said.
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‘Realistically, I also don’t think that either Jordan or Egypt would attack Israel over the plan. Israel has an enormous US military backing.
‘As we’ve seen, it may possibly sustain a military conflict. Way more than Jordan and Egypt even put together.
‘This won’t lead to an all-out war, nevertheless it would cause numerous tension that might push Hamas to return to the forefront again.’
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