‘US-Hamas direct talks: now all roads lead to Doha’

This is apropos a letter to the Editor titled “US-Hamas direct talks: now all roads lead to Doha” carried by the newspaper yesterday.

But neither Trump’s envoy nor any other US official appears to be certain about how the US would be pursuing or implementing Trump’s proposed plan of relocating Palestinians to other countries, a proposal that has been widely condemned with a recent meeting of Arab League/Organization of Islamic Cooperation endorsing an alternative plan to Trump’s preposterous proposal.

Arab leaders have adopted Egypt’s $53 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza on March 4. No doubt, this plan offers a credible basis for immediately meeting reconstruction, governance and security needs in the Gaza Strip. It aims to rebuild the enclave without displacing Palestinians, unlike Trump’s “Middle East Riviera” vision, envisaging a key role for Palestinian Authority (PA) in the reconstruction activities.

What is important to note is the fact that despite his opposition, Trump claimed he largely knew what the Arab plan would be, saying, “It’s going to be… magnificent for the Palestinians. They’re going to be in love with it.”

Unfortunately, however, the far-right Israeli leadership has said that Trump’s plan to relocate millions of Gazans to other countries is “taking shape”.

According to finance minister Smotrich, the Israeli government is planning a “Migration Directorate” for Trump’s Gaza displacement proposal. Israel has not expressed a desire to occupy the Gaza Strip.

While certain right-wing elements of Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet have expressed a desire to resettle Gaza, this idea has never been official government policy. That is why perhaps Israel is seeking to occupy the Strip through US President who has already announced that the United States “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip, suggesting long-term Israeli control over the Strip.

Abu Mohsen (Dubai)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025