What is the motive behind Mr Trump's call to control Gaza?

(CLO) US President Donald Trump has caused a public uproar by declaring that the US will "take over" and "own" the Gaza Strip, and wants to push Palestinians to neighboring countries.

This statement was made during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on February 4th, marking the first official visit by a foreign leader since Trump's re-election.

It's unclear whether this was a serious proposal or just a slip of the tongue. But the statement on February 4th, made while he was standing next to Prime Minister Netanyahu, suggests he may be considering direct US involvement in Gaza.

When questioned, Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, asserted that the U.S. was not committed to deploying ground troops in Gaza and that the displacement of Palestinians would only be "temporary." However, she offered no further details, leaving Trump's proposal even more ambiguous.

What is the meaning behind Trump's gas control call? Figure 1 — US President Donald Trump. Photo: White House

Taking over Gaza: An impossible task?

If Trump truly wants the U.S. to control Gaza, he will face enormous obstacles. First, there is no support within the U.S. for the idea of sending troops into Gaza. Even Republican politicians close to Trump, such as Senator Lindsey Graham, have expressed doubts.

Furthermore, the Palestinian resistance forces, despite suffering heavy losses after more than a year of fighting with Israel, have not been completely annihilated. Even the Israeli army, despite killing more than 61,000 Palestinians in its 15-month military campaign, has not been able to fully control Gaza. If the US occupies the area, they will certainly face a strong wave of resistance.

Furthermore, Palestinians have historically resisted all attempts at forced displacement from their territory. In Gaza, millions remain despite the fighting. Meanwhile, Hamas, despite losses, has been able to reorganize its forces and continue the resistance.

In the US, isolationist politicians, such as Senator Rand Paul, also voiced their opposition. He emphasized that the US should not get bogged down in a new war, especially a costly and dangerous occupation.

What is Mr. Trump really pursuing?

Some observers suggest that Trump may not actually want to occupy Gaza, but is merely creating pressure for Arab countries to participate in financing the reconstruction of the region.

Trump's National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, suggested that the US president's message might be aimed at forcing countries in the region to "come up with their own solutions" instead of letting the US bear the burden.

Furthermore, the idea of a "completely new" Gaza is not unfamiliar to Trump and his family. In March 2024, Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, suggested that Israel should "clean up" Gaza and turn it into a valuable coastal development center.

Kushner, a former real estate businessman, believes Gaza has significant economic potential if the Palestinians are no longer present.

Trump later reiterated this view in a speech, saying, "(We will) make it an unbelievable international place." He suggested that people from all over the world could come and live in Gaza.

Israel's plan?

Israel claims its goal is to "wipe out" Hamas, but many analysts believe this is merely a pretext for implementing a plan to gain complete control of Gaza. Even before the war, a leaked document from the Israeli intelligence ministry suggested expelling Palestinians from Gaza and relocating them to the Sinai desert.

Israeli government ministers, particularly hardliners, have repeatedly promoted the idea of expelling Palestinians. Therefore, Trump's statement is likely to be welcomed by these groups.

However, even if Israel wanted to turn Gaza into an "empty land," they have yet to find a way to do so. The conflict, which has lasted more than a year, has still not achieved its goal of gaining complete control of the territory.

Hoai Phuong (according to AJ, Guardian, CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/dong-co-dang-sau-loi-keu-goi-kiem-soat-gaza-cua-ong-trump-la-gi-post333255.html