Trump Challenges a World in Crisis with Ambitious Gaza Initiative

In “Beyond Good and Evil,” Friedrich Nietzsche introduces a concept he terms a “rule as a riddle,” which states: “If the bond shan’t burst, bite upon it first.” This suggests that when traditional solutions fail, one should think outside the box. When faced with an insoluble issue, consider a bold approach.

This notion parallels the story of the Gordian Knot — unable to untie it, Heracles cut through it. The outcome is not a single intact piece of rope; rather, the knot is no longer a problem.

This approach mirrors what Donald Trump executed during one of the most significant presidential press conferences I’ve witnessed, where he unveiled his strategy for Gaza. As highlighted by my sister, Ruthie Blum, on X, “For everyone who has been clamoring for 16 months about the ‘day after’: TAKE THAT!”

Do you seek a viable future for the region devastated by the terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023 — a conflict Israel did not choose or foresee?

Are you mourning the unbearable conditions in Gaza, a result of the actions of Hamas and its Iranian backers?

Trump’s visionary plan

Donald Trump urges you to stop your lamentations. Here’s his proposal.

For a time, Gazans will need to relocate. Gaza will undergo a transformation into a “demolition site.” Unexploded ordnance must be managed, and many existing buildings will need to come down. Considering Gaza is approximately the size of Chicago, it’s a massive undertaking.

Post-demolition will be the phase of reconstruction. Trump claims that the wealthier nations in the region will foot the bill and will also provide housing for the displaced Gazans across one, two, four, seven, or even twelve comfortable locations. Gaza could become the Middle East’s Riviera.

Eventually, former residents of Gaza can return, should they choose to. If not, the area will be developed into an international city open to all.

A simple solution! When the bond couldn’t be broken, Trump acted decisively. Stuck without an answer? Here’s a bold answer.

But President Trump, skeptics argue, they won’t fund it! And they won’t accept the Gazans. Trump dismisses this concern confidently, suggesting that they will.

What is unfolding here? It’s a movement of tectonic shifts, not through natural processes, but through sheer willpower — the will to assert dominance, as Nietzsche might phrase it. On Tuesday, Trump made a bold declaration of America’s position as the preeminent world power, indicating a course of action for Gaza, detailing who will finance it and who will oversee it moving forward.

The necessary action involves clearing and rebuilding. It will be the neighboring Arab nations who will cover the expenses while simultaneously managing the displaced Gazans. The U.S. will oversee operations more as a property management entity than as a political power.

Is this simply a daydream? Perhaps. Yet, are the other absurd proposals surfacing for the region any less far-fetched?

Consider a Palestinian state formed after October 7 and the subsequent scenes of Gazans showcasing hostility toward Jewish hostages as they were returned to their people?

In no condition for statehood

The foreign policy team of Biden, specifically Jake Sullivan and Tony Blinken, continued discussing this option following their irrational lunch talks with the Financial Times, demonstrating what occurs when unserious individuals are entrusted with power.

They should recognize what I understand — there will be no Palestinian state if the current residents of Gaza represent the core political group. Much like Japan and Germany post-World War II, they must be reformed before being reintegrated into a functional state.

They haven’t reached that point. They might never achieve it, and Israel might need to accept this reality. However, to ignore these facts would be self-destructive, and the events of October 7 have demonstrated that Israel’s tolerance for such risks is indefinitely over.

Would a semblance of UN oversight in the wake of the violence be a favorable idea? It may sound appealing to those unaware of the United Nations officials’ troubling complicity in hostage-taking and maltreatment in UNRWA-run facilities, which is responsible for Gaza’s administration. The U.S. has defunded UNRWA and barred its operations on Israeli territory, which means its officials can only access Gaza via sea.

Time for a fresh start

Please refrain from weeping about Gazans leaving their homes. We’ve been informed that Gaza is not merely their home, but rather a confinement. Trump is providing a path for Gazans to escape their confinement; do they genuinely prefer to remain in it? Does this imply it was never truly a prison?

The future remains uncertain. Nonetheless, the knot has been severed. The bond has been bitten and broken. The situation prior to October 7 was untenable; we understand this because October 7 occurred. Returning to the previous state is not an option, which is beneficial since going backward only leads to more occurrences like October 7.

Progress in the Middle East may result in calamity. However, what have the last 25 years in the Middle East amounted to, if not continuous disaster and half-hearted efforts to manage the ensuing crises since 9/11?

For five decades, we have heeded the wisdom of so-called responsible leaders who profess an understanding of history and its aftermath, culminating in Sullivan, Blinken, Biden, and Harris. They weren’t engaged in the “great game”; they were merely playing an uncoordinated game.

It’s time for a new deck. Time for a fresh dealer. Time for a reimagined Middle East.

Reprinted with permission from Commentary.