Shachar Kleiman
Israel Hayom, Feb. 5, 2025
“The current hysteria echoes the paranoia surrounding Trump’s previous “Deal of the Century” initiative, which his administration promoted during its first term.”
President Trump’s remarks triggered a barrage of denunciations from Hamas. His vision, which includes massive Palestinian migration and US ownership of Gaza, directly threatens the terrorist organization’s interests. Chief among them is maintaining the population as a human shield and a recruitment pool for terrorists, while continuing to control the Strip from behind the scenes, with the Palestinian Authority functioning as a puppet government. Unsurprisingly, the dramatic announcement caused considerable alarm.
Hamas quickly condemned the White House statements and called for an “emergency conference” of the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the United Nations, aiming to mount pressure against Trump’s vision. Hamas understands that the Palestinians alone have limited influence over Washington, particularly under the current administration.
Yet, Hamas didn’t have to work too hard. Arab states were already preparing to block the plan. This week saw a flurry of discussions among Arab leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas was invited to Jordan, where he firmly rejected Trump’s statements. In recent days, the veteran Saudi prince Turki al-Faisal sent Trump an especially scathing letter. The former Saudi intelligence chief leveled a series of accusations against Israel, blaming it for creating the Gaza problem during the War of Independence. ….SOURCE