Even though Donald Trump’s call for the U.S. to “own” the Gaza Strip is completely infeasible, there is a real danger he may take steps to pursue this idea, which will be extremely destructive.
Lost in the uproar over Donald Trump’s Gaza comments was another bombshell: the White House will soon announce its position on annexation of the West Bank. Signs indicate it will fully support expanding Israeli control over the occupied territory.
Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. should “take over” Gaza was met with confusion and outrage by many elected officials. Still, some pro-Israel voices and at least one prominent Democrat fully embraced the idea.
On Tuesday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first foreign leader to meet Donald Trump in The White House during his second term. During the meeting, Trump doubled down on previous suggestions to remove Palestinians from Gaza.
As social movements in the U.S. plan ahead for the Trump administration, we should look to the campus Palestine movement for lessons on how to organize under the repressive conditions we will all soon face.
Donald Trump has brought back a plan to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from Gaza that was pushed by the Biden administration and the Israeli far right. Although these plans have been rebuffed so far, there are signs Trump might be more successful.
After igniting outrage for raising a Nazi salute at a Trump inauguration event, Elon Musk tweeted: “So I am both a zionist AND a nazi?” He meant it mockingly, but the historical and ideological affinities between Zionism and white supremacy run deep.
Some are hoping for a great “Trump effect” on U.S. policy toward Palestine after his envoy brokered the Gaza ceasefire. But Trump was only operating out of self-interest, and these same interests will lead him right back to full support for Israel.
Donald Trump’s first administration proposed what it called the “Deal of the Century” which would have redrawn Israel’s borders to include major swaths of the West Bank. As Trump reenters office there are fears the annexation plan is back.
The Biden administration could have delivered the same ceasefire agreement last year, but they refused to exert pressure on Netanyahu.