Trump 'craziest ever' proposal for Gaza will ‘die on its own': Thomas Friedman at Cairo conference on Gaza - Foreign Affairs

Al-Ahram Weekly

26-02-2025

Renowned New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman described President Donald Trump's proposal to 'clean out' Gaza as the 'craziest ever' presented for the Arab-Israeli conflict, stressing that it will 'die on its own.'
Friedman made these remarks on Wednesday in a speech before the "Gaza and the Future of Peace and Stability in the Middle East" conference in Cairo, which is organized by the Egyptian Centre for Strategic Studies (ECSS) and the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs (ECFA).
During the conference's third session, "The US Stance on the Gaza War and Its Regional Implications," Friedman assessed the impact of Trump's Gaza proposal on Middle East peace prospects.
He noted that realizing the recklessness of his proposal, Trump had already begun to backtrack.
"Trump abandoned his relocation proposal after realizing its irrationality, but tensions remain," Friedman said.
He criticized the proposal as "illogical," "impractical," and "unreasonable," emphasizing the crucial role of Arab states in Gaza's reconstruction and security.
Earlier in February, Trump proposed that Washington take control of Gaza, forcibly displace its native Palestinian population, and build a "Middle East Riviera." Trump's proposal sparked a global outcry.
The US president had cited Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab countries as possible destinations for the Palestinians.
Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab nations, in return, immediately rejected the idea, which they perceived to be an unacceptable injustice that infringed on the historical and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and threatened regional stability.
Furthermore, Friedman predicted a "political conflict" between the US president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"There will be a political conflict between Trump and Netanyahu, as US interests rely on preventing China's expansion in the Middle East and establishing a broad alliance network stretching from East Asia through India to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, and Europe," he said.
Friedman reaffirmed his support for the two-state solution, warning that the alternative, "no state," would be "disastrous."
He also stressed that preparations for a Palestinian state should involve a Palestinian constitution and institutional reforms, a halt to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and reduced pressure on Palestinians.
In addition, he warned that Trump's insistence on pushing through his proposals would "destabilize Egypt and Jordan," contradict US regional interests, and, therefore, trigger a "diplomatic rift".
"With the Middle East serving as ground zero for failed states, Egypt's resilience and strength stand out as an increasingly rare and vital force in the region," Friedman concluded.
The conference kicked off earlier on Wednesday to dismantle and refute the American vision of forcibly displacing Palestinians from Gaza. It also highlights regional and international experiences in post-conflict reconstruction without displacing populations.
Egypt is preparing a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of the heavily devastated Gaza Strip without displacing the Palestinians.
The plan will be presented on 4 March at the Cairo Emergency Arab Summit.
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