Trump’s Gaza Proposal
By Muhammed Abbas Azhar
The recent proposal by President Donald Trump to take Gaza and relocate its Palestinian population permanently, then redevelop the territory as the “Riviera of the Middle East,” has sent shockwaves throughout the region. A dramatic break from the longstanding policy of the U.S. and international community: the opposition was fierce from key Middle Eastern powers against it.
Some of the most important powers in the region; Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are rejecting this plan flatly for being an attack on the sovereignty of a Palestinian state and an attempt to destabilize the whole region. The fitful responses will be determined by their mix of historical ties toward the Palestinian cause, geopolitical interests, and domestic considerations.
Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza and had long played the role of the mediator between Israel and Hamas in their conflicts, fears that the mass displacement will threaten its national security and the stability of its economy. Turkey under President Erdogan has positioned itself as an advocate for the rights of the Palestinians and, therefore, viewed Trump’s offer as an offense to international law. Whereas Saudi Arabia has looked to tighten its fast-growing diplomatic relations with Israel, it has once again clarified that normalization would only happen if an independent Palestinian state is established.
The more the regional powers resist Trump’s vision, the more polarized international reactions are getting. The opposition from the side of regional powers is not limited to Gaza. It represents the greater conflict of Palestine’s future and the balance of power in the Middle East.
Egypt’s Reaction
Egypt has long been involved in Gaza matters by acting as a mediating role to conflict and gatekeeping that controls the crossing of Rafah. Cairo opposes the scheme supported by Trump firmly because it undermines Egyptian national security as well as regional stability.
Mass Palestinian displacement to Sinai would also be a significant source of concern for Egypt. Egypt has a long history of combating terrorist insurgencies in Sinai. Mass Palestinian displacements would also increase pressure on security forces and overwhelm Egyptian resources. Egyptian authorities believe that this would be a serious destabilization concern in Sinai and a long-term political and demographic concern.
But more concerning to Egypt from the Trump policy are the economic ramifications. To take in hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees would be a strain on Egypt’s underperforming economy, which is already experiencing inflation, unemployment, and excessive debt. Accepting displaced Palestinians would lead to unrest among its citizens because the majority of Egyptians already believe that their government cannot fix its economic issues.
Egypt has swiftly rejected the offer and is working with other Arab nations against it. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi signaled that Egypt will not allow the people of Gaza to be transferred. Cairo thinks a solution to Gaza should provide Palestinians with an opportunity to decide their destiny without being uprooted from their homes. Egyptian officials are also calling for assistance from international allies to prevent any actions that could alter the population of Gaza.
Egypt’s reaction demonstrates that most residents in the area do not approve of Trump’s plan. Having cooperated earlier on security, Cairo feels the line has gone too far regarding this proposal, as it craves to make sure its borders remain peaceful as well as securing the future of Gaza is not left in the hands of foreign entities who want radical regional transformation.
Turkey, a Champion of Palestinian Sovereignty?
Turkey opposed the idea of relocating Palestinians from Gaza by President Trump. Turkey, under the leadership of President Erdogan, is a strong supporter of Palestinian rights and condemns the actions of Israelis and Western policy against their sovereignty. The permanent relocation of the people of Gaza immensely disturbed Ankara. However, what Turkey says and what it ends up doing are often different things.
According to the Turkish government, Trump’s plan violates international law, and, what is even more dangerous, the action would cause chaos throughout the entire region. According to the authority of Ankara, this forced transfer would amount to ethnic cleansing. This would leave an open sore that would permanently haunt the region. Turkey argues that the Gaza Strip’s fate is what the Palestinians themself have to decide, not some superpower wanting to lord over them.
It also demonstrates the wider foreign policy approach of Turkey in opposing the plan. Erdoğan has employed the Palestinian cause for decades to promote Turkey’s status in the Muslim world and present himself as a defender of oppressed Muslims. In opposing the Trump plan, Turkey is demonstrating its position as the regional leader and opposing United States policies that it perceives as being in the wrong.
Turkey not only spoke out against the proposal; it also acted against it. Turkish officials have collaborated with local and international actors, including the United Nations, to make sure that no plans are made that will drive Palestinians out of their homes. Ankara has vowed to continue providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, demonstrating that it wishes to keep Palestinians in their homeland despite the devastation of the war with Israel.
Turkey’s refusal of Trump’s proposal is part of a broader pattern of resisting Western policy that it sees as colonial. Erdogan’s government has said that it will not endorse any proposal that sacrifices Palestinian rights or introduces population changes imposed by the outside world. As tensions in Gaza persist, Turkey will likely continue to be a central figure in the resistance to forced displacement and the promotion of Palestinian self-determination.
Saudi Arabia’s Delicate Diplomacy
Saudi Arabia immediately and categorically turned down the offer by US President Donald Trump to annex the Gaza Strip and de facto transplant the Palestinian nation. This is because the Kingdom for long has positioned itself as the most influential power in Middle Eastern diplomacy and believes the plan violates Palestinian sovereignty directly, whose rights cannot be compromised under international law. Saudi leaders emphasize that any outcome of the conflict with Israel-Palestine has to make a Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its Capital an independent possibility.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed that peace with Israel will not be made until the Palestinians have their state. Trump’s suggestion to resettle Palestinians from Gaza without political rights is against Saudi Arabia’s long-standing beliefs. The Kingdom has categorically asserted that making Palestinians leave their homes is a massive no that cannot be ignored and has appealed to the world to stand with Palestinian rights instead of forced displacement.
Saudi Arabia’s refusal to endorse the plan is founded not only on principle but also to sustain stability in the area while maintaining respect within the Arab world. The Kingdom is aware that endorsing Trump’s plan would be overwhelmingly unpopular with its people and with the broader Muslim world. Arabs continue to believe in Palestinian rights to decide their destiny, and if Saudi Arabia is viewed as betraying that, it would result in protests and damage Saudi Arabia’s reputation as a Muslim leader.
On the diplomatic front, Saudi Arabia has sought negotiations with the strongest regional and global players to address any measures that would be taken to avert forced displacement. The Kingdom reaffirmed its adherence to the Arab Peace Initiative, whereby any recognition of Israel would be conditional on a Palestinian state. Riyadh was able to coordinate with Egypt, Jordan, and the League of Arab States to present a collective push against the offer as presented by Trump.
The Wider Arab and Muslim World’s Reaction
A wave of condemnation has swept across the Arab and Muslim world following the announcement of Trump’s Gaza plan. Regional powers such as Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates outright reject any plans for forcing Palestinians to leave their respective territory.
The future of Gaza should be through its citizens’ choice, not through external stakeholders.
Jordan has a large population of Palestinians, and it has always been a part of Palestinian peace negotiations. Jordan thoroughly opposes the notion of hosting refugees from Gaza. King Abdullah II of Jordan has already quite categorically said through his various public declarations that the country of Jordan will not accept the responsibility of being a homeland for Palestinians. They are naturally Palestinians and should stay in Gaza and the West Bank. The government of Jordan is also worried that the Trump plan may fuel further commotion in this region and deteriorate the two-state solution. Despite what Jordan may believe, it has come under pressure from President Trump to conform to his views on Gaza.
Qatar has also dismissed the proposal out of hand, even though it had been acting like an important mediator between Hamas and Israel in previous negotiation rounds. Qatari officials have stated that any attempts to forcibly move Palestinians would be reactivating violence and intensify the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The country instead demands that there be collective efforts at the international level to rebuild Gaza and bring about immediate relief for its war-weary population.
Who Blinks First, Trump or the Gulf States?
Opposition to any plans that will undermine Palestinian sovereignty has led to the main regional powers rejecting Trump’s Gaza plan and dismissing it completely. Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, among other Arab and Muslim nations, have all declared forced displacement as a red line that cannot be crossed. All the countries mentioned have their strategic interests in the region, but this doesn’t mean that they will support any plan to displace, permanently, the Palestinians from their homes.
The Egyptian government sees this plan as a threat to national security and economic stability since most of the displaced Palestinians who enter the country have the potential to create serious issues in the long term. Turkey, which is a major supporter of the Palestinian cause, has emerged as one of the largest opponents of this plan, and its foreign minister has promised to oppose it on all diplomatic channels and international platforms. Saudi Arabia, playing its balancing act towards the United States and as the leader of the Arab world, has already declared its position on the Palestinian cause, and according to it, normalization with Israel cannot be achieved without a just resolution of the conflict.
The broader Arab and Muslim world felt the same way. Jordan, Qatar, and local groups opposed the concept because they felt it was against international law. This kind of opposition indicates that Trump’s Gaza plans are substandard. His policies are not receiving much support in the region, particularly against peace processes that have been embraced for several years. Nevertheless, Trump’s agenda cannot be underestimated and he has demonstrated that he’s willing to look for solutions to problems that other political leaders would never consider. The United States can bring immense pressure on smaller states bending them to its will. Could the regional nations effectively resist Trump’s Gaza plan if he’s set on implementing it?
The future of Gaza is uncertain, but any settlements must be respectful of Palestinian sovereignty and include neighboring nations. Resistance to Trump’s offer is a sign of the political challenge of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the necessity of diplomacy. Without regional backing, Trump’s offer will cause more harm than good in bringing peace.
