Good Diplomacy Key to Reaching Solution in Gaza: Col. Dahouk on Trump’s Proposal
The US President, Donald Trump, on Saturday floated the idea that Egypt and Jordan take in more than a million of Palestinian refugees from Gaza. Trump said he had spoken with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and planned to speak with Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, as well to discuss the proposal, reported CNN.
The US President described Gaza as a “demolition site”, saying “You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing.” He added that this move “could be temporary” or “could be long-term.”
Rejecting Forced Displacement
In response, Egypt, Jordan, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority categorically rejected Trump’s proposal.
In a statement, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry expressed its rejection of any forced displacement of Palestinians. “Such actions threaten stability, risk extending the conflict further in the region, and undermine opportunities for peace and coexistence,” the statement said.
Similarly, Jordan’s Foreign Minister, Ayman al-Safadi, said his country is committed to “ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land.”
Both Egypt and Jordan reaffirmed their support for the two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
A Concerning Proposal
Commenting on the proposal, the Former Senior Military Advisor to US Department of State and Member of the Board of Directors of the National Council on US-Arab Relations, Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk, noted that Trump has a different way of thinking.
“It is obvious that displacing the people of Gaza and threatening their Palestinian identity is concerning. But this is still a proposal and this is the Trump administration. Trump always thinks differently about all matters, whether diplomatic, military, or economic,” Col. Dahouk told BBC Arabic.
Not the First Time
Col. Dahouk said that this proposal has been offered before. “We heard that a year ago from his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and he was his advisor in the previous administration. Kushner talked about moving the people of Gaza to Egypt or Jordan. He also mentioned another option, which is the Negev desert in Israel,” he said.
He noted that Trump and Kushner “see that Gaza has massive opportunities and there is the issue of Hamas’ return, to invest and rebuild infrastructure, including tunnels, to threaten Israel.”
However, “this remains a proposal,” Col. Dahouk said. “Egypt rejected this proposal from day one and considered it a threat to its national security that jeopardizes the peace process with Israel. Similarly, the King of Jordan rejected the proposal, saying that his country already hosts millions of refugees. However, the Trump administration puts this proposal on the table,” he added.
“Jordan, Egypt and other Arab countries which are concerned over this proposal can sit to the negotiating table and make a decision about it,” he noted.
Trump’s Logic
The National Council on US-Arab Relations’ Board Member explained that the US President acts according to his logic. “The Trump administration attempts to offer its proposal while Trump tries to bring peace to the region according to his logic. He also seeks the same thing in Europe and elsewhere,” he said.
“At this time, Israel remains a sovereign country and will do what is best for itself, and so will the Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority, whether in Gaza or the West Bank. They will make the best decision for themselves and their country. And so, without proposals and ideas, things remain the same,” Col. Dahouk added.
Good Diplomacy is the Key
Col. Dahouk further added that dealing with this issue should involve coordination and good diplomacy. He said: “And I think that Trump is trying to prepare for normalizing relations with Arab countries which have not yet normalized ties. This starts with resolving matters in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Yes, Israel exploits these things and has begun occupying more territories in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank.”
According to Col. Dahouk, “Dealing with this issue should involve coordination among Arab countries and the Trump administration. Israel will do what benefits Israel, and good diplomacy from all parties must be the influential factor in this trajectory to reach a solution. Otherwise, we will remain in a vicious cycle in Gaza and things will not be favorable for the Palestinians.”
