The history of the US relationship with the Middle East has not passed what is similar to the policy of current US President Donald Trump. Despite American interventions and previous involvement in wars and invasions, what President Trump is doing has not been a position that is completely out of the traditional American position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
In his first term, which ended four years ago, he put forward the “deal of the century” project, under which Israel is allowed to annex 30% of the West Bank. He moved the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, stopped support for the Palestinian Authority, and closed the office of the Palestine Liberation Organization mission in Washington.
However, in his new term, Trump unreasonably became like a raging bull, hitting right and left. He went beyond the borders of diplomacy, not only by adopting extremist positions that exceeded even the positions of the fascist and racist right in Israel towards solving the problem of the war in Gaza, but also by threatening to occupy and implement his plans with the force of pressure and imposing sanctions that may change the equations of the international relationship in the region, and put it on a powder barrel that may ignite at any moment.
For the first time, Washington is seeking to destroy the two-state solution by allowing Israel to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank, displacing all residents of the Gaza Strip, controlling and possessing it, and preventing Palestinians from returning to it.
Trump's plan, which he insists on implementing, includes the transfer of Gazans to both Egypt and Jordan, and threatening the two sovereign states that if they do not accept Palestinian refugees, he may resort to stopping aid to them.
When Hamas announced that it would postpone the release of the sixth batch of Israeli detainees -- due to Israel's violation of the agreement to delay the transfer of citizens from the southern Gaza Strip to its north, and the shooting of citizens in more than one case, causing the death and injury of a number of them, and non-compliance with the humanitarian protocol, especially the introduction of some types of humanitarian aid, and the non-entry of mobile homes, tents, and other equipment -- Trump took a position that went far beyond the positions of the Israeli government, which considered what Hamas declared a violation of the ceasefire, and announced readiness for all scenarios. Hamas was warned that if it does not release all "hostages" by noon next Saturday, the ceasefire will be cancelled. The movement promises "real hell."
Washington is seeking to destroy the two-state solution by allowing Israel to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank, displacing all residents of the Gaza Strip, controlling and possessing it, and preventing Palestinians from returning to it
Hamas is aware that Benjamin Netanyahu's government intends to return to war in order to keep the government alive on the one hand, and the support that Netanyahu receives from President Trump on the other. The latter stated that he was not sure of completing the deal until the end, and repeated day and night that he did not want Hamas in Gaza, that is, he agreed with Netanyahu on the idea of eliminating Hamas, ie, the continuation of the war for a long time.
Therefore, it is normal for Hamas to try and play with the card of detainees in Gaza as its last hand. So why give up this paper at a time when Israel and America promise to annihilate and not stop the war, instead of ending the occupation of Gaza and its reconstruction?
Trump's problem is that he treats the Palestinian issue, which is one of the most complex issues of conflict in the universe, as a simple trade deal. He wants to take over Gaza, fully own it, displace its population irreversibly, and force Egypt and Jordan to sacrifice their security and stability to implement this stupid deal.
He does not seem to understand that there are limits to pressure and even to the ability and influence of the United States. He will not find an Arab state that can agree to the displacement and absorption of Palestinian refugees, no matter how much pressure he exerts. American pressure on these countries could lead to shifts in their attitudes regarding the alliance with the US.
The most important thing that Trump's business mind does not understand is how the Palestinians think about their cause and their national project. They will not give up any part of their homeland. They paid a heavy price to hold on to home and would not leave it like this for Trump's ambitions.
The latter even opened the eyes of the Palestinians to the importance of their country and its position in the struggle of nations for control of strategic positions that are politically and economically important.
Even if the homeland leaves some of them due to lack of life, this does not mean emptying the country and facilitating control of it by anyone. Gazans do not consider anywhere more beautiful or more important than Gaza to live in, despite all the tragedies they have gone through due to the sterile policy of some Palestinian parties and the barbarism of Israeli aggression.
How will they give up the Gaza Strip, which constitutes the future of the country's buried goods and its unique strategic location? Palestinians are well aware of what Trump wants, and all Trump can do is fuel the conflict in the region and push it towards more violence, tension, and instability.
The fate of his stupid plans and projects is failure, and just as the “deal of the century” failed, the displacement project will fail. History will remember that a failed and ardent American president has stalled to a cause that has been steadfast for more than a century and never budged its bearers.
Yousef Ramadan is the Ambassador of Palestine to Bangladesh.
