Donald Trump has announced a sickening plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza. At a press conference in the White House at the start of February he declared that he wants to physically remove Palestinians from Gaza, “take over” and “own it” and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East”.
Trump spoke alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was invited to the US despite being wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court. Netanyahu, smirking with delight as Trump spoke, called the plan “remarkable”.
Trump’s official spokespeople walked back aspects of the policy in the days that followed. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there was no plan for US “boots on the ground” in Gaza and that Palestinians would be “temporarily relocated” rather than permanently resettled in neighbouring countries.
But Trump doubled down on the plan for permanent ethnic cleansing in an interview with Fox’s Bret Baier. When asked if Palestinians would have the right to return to Gaza, Trump said, “No, they wouldn’t.”
Trump’s statements placed further doubt over the Gaza ceasefire that began in January and removed any doubt that his administration is deeply committed to Israel’s genocidal project.
Following the declaration, Trump began to threaten that “all hell is going to break out” if Hamas didn’t release all Israeli hostages within days. Hamas had threatened to halt the next planned hostage release unless Israel kept its end of the ceasefire deal and stopped obstructing aid trucks entering the strip.
Three Israeli officials and two mediators spoke to the New York Times confirming that Israel had been violating the ceasefire and obstructing aid.
Netanyahu called up reservists to resume fighting if the hostage release fell through. In the end, it went ahead. However, the situation remains highly volatile.
Humiliation
The ceasefire has eased some of the intense domestic pressure on Netanyahu’s government but demonstrations in Israel are still demanding he adhere to the ceasefire and secure the return of all the hostages.
The ceasefire has also exposed Netanyahu’s abject failure to “eradicate Hamas” and secure his aim of “total victory” despite 16 months of genocide.
Netanyahu has been forced to negotiate with Hamas to release hostages. Israel has withdrawn from the strategic Netzarim corridor dividing the Gaza strip and dismantled its military bases there, allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to the north of Gaza—an area that Netanyahu had attempted to depopulate.
According to Israel’s Channel 14, Israeli soldiers left the Netzarim corridor in tears, claiming that their “efforts were in vain”.
Hamas has recruited about 15,000 fighters since the start of the war, according to US intelligence sources. The hostage handovers have showcased dozens of Hamas fighters and parades of thousands of Gazans, with the images of defiance being broadcast on Israeli television.
Destabilising
Trump’s belligerent and open support for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza has given Netanyahu the greenlight to resume attacks on Gaza, rather than follow through on all three stages of the ceasefire plan.
Speaking alongside Trump in the White House, Netanyahu confirmed his intentions, saying: “We can’t leave Hamas there [in Gaza], because Hamas will continue the battle to destroy Israel … you can’t talk about peace … if this toxic murderous organisation is left standing.”
The second stage of the ceasefire is supposed to involve the return of remaining male Israelis and IDF soldiers in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and the complete withdrawal of IDF troops from Gaza. The third stage would involve the reconstruction of Gaza.
Trump and Netanyahu’s statements effectively shred the second and third stages of the ceasefire.
Trump’s ethnic cleansing plan involves neighbouring countries—Egypt and Jordan—taking huge numbers of displaced Palestinians. Both countries have flatly rejected the proposal, as has US ally Saudi Arabia.
Egypt and Jordan’s rulers fear that the combination of collaborating with the US and Israel’s ethnic cleansing plan and hosting massive numbers of displaced Palestinians would fatally destabilise their regimes. And they are more fearful than ever following the rapid collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
Trump has threatened to cut US aid to Egypt and Jordan if they don’t comply. This is all a recipe for turmoil to come.
Here in Australia, Albanese has not only refused to condemn Trump’s ethnic cleansing plan but has continued to allow the supply of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel. He has continued to demonise Palestine supporters and handed Trump almost $800 million for the AUKUS nuclear submarines.
Trump and Netanyahu’s bloodthirsty plans for Palestine—and the instability they will create—make resistance here and across the Arab world more important than ever.
By Adam Adelpour
