This will be one of my mercifully few posts about I/P issues. I think it speaks for itself. But hopefully it also speaks to everyone who either voted for Donald Trump, some third-party gadfly, or just couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris because of what they thought about the actions — or supposed lack thereof --of the Biden administration regarding the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Well, this is what you’ve wrought. From the New York Times:
President Trump declared on Tuesday that Palestinians had no choice but to leave Gaza because of the devastation wrought by Israel’s war with Hamas after the terrorist attack of Oct. 7, 2023, suggesting that they be given a new homeland.
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Mr. Trump seemed to indicate that he wanted to find a permanent new homeland for the Palestinians rather than reconstruct Gaza. “If we could find the right piece of land, or numerous pieces of land, and build them some really nice places with plenty of money in the area, that’s for sure,” he said. “I think that would be a lot better than going back to Gaza.”
“[B]uild them some really nice places with plenty of money in the area,” huh. Where exactly would that be, I wonder?
Mr. Trump made the comments to reporters shortly before hosting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel at the White House to talk about the next stage of a cease-fire in the Gaza war. Speaking in the Oval Office while signing executive orders, Mr. Trump said he wanted Jordan and Egypt to take in the Palestinians.
I’m sure Trump and Bibi had a nice chat. As of right now neither Jordan nor Egypt are willing to “take in” the Palestinians, and that is not likely to change. In fact, as pointed out here, that would likely be a lousy outcome for both the Palestinians and Israel as well. And I’m doubly — no, triply — sure that they won’t be coming to the Florida coast anytime soon.
When Trump makes this kind of a statement after an intimate tete a tete with Netanyahu, the latter walks away knowing there is nothing whatsoever that he may choose to do, that the U.S. will object to.
And in fact, as the Times reports:
With Mr. Netanyahu’s right-wing government in jeopardy if the war ends with Hamas still in control in Gaza, and with no other plan for the area in place, analysts expect the Israeli prime minister to try to delay moving to the next stage of the deal, which calls for a permanent cease-fire.
I don’t know how many people in this country premised their vote on this issue. But do you really think President Harris would be saying this right now?
I hate to say it, but for anyone who couldn’t see this coming, well, just what the hell were you thinking?
Update: Trump now proposes that the US “take over Gaza” and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Without its current residents, of course.
