Say what now?

TRUMP: "the US will take over the Gaza Strip" pic.twitter.com/wtTCz1HeMt

— LiveNOW from FOX (@livenowfox) February 5, 2025

Yesterday I wrote about the various options moving forward for the Gaza strip. Hamas is clearly trying to show they are in control but Israel is unlikely to accept any settlement of the current conflict in which they remain in power. There was word that maybe Saudi Arabia would get involved as an outside party but instead it looks like we are the outside party.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday proposed that the United States take a “long-term ownership position” over Gaza, moving its residents to a “good, fresh, beautiful piece of land” in another country and rebuilding the war-torn territory under U.S. control, offering a vision of mass displacement likely to inflame sentiments in the Arab world as he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House.

Trump’s proposal was likely to provoke a furious reaction from many Palestinians as well as their Arab allies in the region, since it suggested permanently removing Gaza’s 2.2 million residents from Palestinian territory and settling them outside of their land. It would also pull the United States even more deeply into the conflict by taking over territory that belongs to Palestinians...

Gazan residents generally want to stay on their land, and neighboring Arab nations have fiercely opposed handing over their own territory because they do not want to abet an Israeli expulsion of Palestinians...

Asked if U.S. troops would be deployed to take over Gaza, Trump said that “we’ll do what’s necessary… We’ll take it over and develop it.”

Sending US troops to Gaza would really run against Trump's America first brand, so much so that I find myself thinking he can't possibly be serious about this. 

Just as we've seen with Trump's threats to put 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, it may be wisest to see Trump's statement as part of a larger negotiating strategy. Trump probably doesn't want 25% tariffs on those countries, but he does want absolute control of the border backed up by both countries we share borders with. The Tariff threat has given him that, at least so far.

Similarly, the idea of the US taking ownership of Gaza and moving Gazans elsewhere sounds like a highball offer. It's something that will be so awful and offensive to Gazans, to Iranians, etc. that they will suddenly be more amenable to almost anything else. And true to form, I'd expect Trump to take it right to the edge, maybe sending an advance force to Gaza to look it over, just to make clear he'll really do it if something else doesn't change.

That's one possibility. The other possibility is that Trump the developer and casino magnate saw that strip of land along the beach and had a brainstorm. Or maybe it's a bit of both. Maybe he really does think moving Gaza is the only solution and complete re-development is the way to make it happen. Is that where the Saudi's could come into this? Maybe putting up a few billion dollars and a plan to make something better there?

I don't know but I don't think anyone saw this particular outcome coming. For his part, Netanyahu seems open to whatever it is Trump is proposing.

Prime Minister Netanyahu to President Trump: "Your willingness to puncture conventional thinking, thinking that has failed time and time again, your willingness to think outside the box with fresh ideas will help us achieve all these goals." pic.twitter.com/L9lk37rPuY

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 5, 2025

Again, it's hard to imagine this happening but it's not hard to understand why Netanyahu would be open to it. Who wants an army of murderers on their border who are constantly plotting to kill them? Hamas cannot be allowed to continue to run things in Gaza.

Meanwhile, outside the White House.

The Palestinian faction outside the Blair House, across from the White House and where Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is staying, is chanting “Intifada! Intifada! Intifada Revolution!”

Aka, they’re chanting for murder. pic.twitter.com/zy9TH7ac0B

— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) February 4, 2025

⚠️BREAKING: Hamas sympathizers are currently protesting outside the White House against Benjamin Netanyahu:

"At this moment, a war criminal is being welcomed into the building behind us."

Raise your hand if you want them all deported. 🖐️pic.twitter.com/cKCR04pRJf

— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) February 5, 2025

Wait until those folks here what Trump just proposed. Columbia University will be cloudy with a chance of riots tomorrow.