President Donald Trump’s Feb. 4 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began with the traditional greeting by the president of a head of state at the White House portico, moved to a photo-op in the Oval Office that erupted into a robust press “gaggle,” and was followed by a private meeting between the two leaders and then a joint press conference.
The only thing that followed “traditional” expectations in the Trump-Netanyahu meeting was the schedule. Very few could have predicted how it played out.
In a message that has been hinted at for weeks and was pointedly floated during the photo-op session and expanded during the press conference, Trump called war-torn Gaza a “pure demolition site” and proposed that the U.S. turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” after resettling Gazans into neighboring Arab countries like Egypt and Jordan.
He predicted that Saudi Arabia would make peace with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state, he repeatedly pledged that Iran will never be permitted to develop a nuclear weapon and he promised to impose additional economic sanctions on Iran that will stop all its oil exports.
Much of what Trump said about Gaza could have been written by several of Netanyahu’s right-wing partners and supporters. That explains why Netanyahu wore a broad, satisfied smile as Trump made his pronouncements and promises, and why Netanyahu was so effusive in his appreciation of Trump — including calling him “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”
No one knows where Trump’s plans for Gaza will go or what the specifics of the plan are. Indeed, the very next day the White House walked back some of the more provocative promises in Trump’s Gaza plan presentation. Nonetheless, right-wing Israelis celebrated Trump’s clear thinking, plain speaking and insightful vision. Moderate and left-leaning Israelis expressed concern — focused on the possible forced displacement of Palestinians and uncertainty about sovereignty over Gaza. And hostage families worried that the incitement inherent in the plan would interfere with hostage release efforts.
Notwithstanding Trump’s repeated assurances that he had reviewed his Gaza plans with several Middle East leaders who “loved the idea,” the Arab world was united in its vocal rejection. Numerous other countries expressed concern and disagreement. While support was offered by Republican congressional leadership, many rank-and-file Republicans and most Democrats were freer in expressing concern and disapproval. And at least one Democratic congressman said he will file articles of impeachment against Trump for what he has pledged to do.
We await more details and even for the other shoe to drop. We have seen parts of this movie before. Trump’s approach to the negotiation process is to begin with dramatic pronouncements and much bluster as his opening bid, hoping to overwhelm the other side, followed by the adoption of a more moderate position once he gets some concessions that he can declare to be “victory.”
Trump’s team has some serious work cut out for it in pursuing the president’s Gaza plan.
In the meantime, as Trump is elevated to nearly messianic heights by Netanyahu and his governing coalition, Trump has virtually ensured that Israel’s leadership — including the coalition-busting threat of firebrand Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich — will continue moving forward with the hostage and cease-fire deal as they continue to dream of Gaza without Palestinians.
At least for now, that is a good thing. ■
