New Delhi: US President Donald Trump unveiled an unprecedented plan to alter the Israeli-Palestinian war, sparking a firestorm of debate and criticism on social media and beyond. His proposal, that the United States would seize control of the war-torn Gaza Strip, resettle its Palestinian population elsewhere, and then redevelop the territory into a thriving economic hub, has received a mixed reaction on X.
Trump’s announcement, made alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a joint press conference on Tuesday, immediately drew mixed reactions. While some hailed the plan as a bold step toward peace and prosperity, others condemned it as a blatant land grab and a violation of international norms.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too.” –President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/aCqLl9Gwwn
— President Donald J. Trump (@POTUS) February 5, 2025
On X, opinions were sharply divided. Supporters envisioned a transformed Gaza, a “Riviera of the Middle East,” boasting economic prosperity and stability. One user, “Proud American,” posited the potential for a massive economic boom, while another celebrated the plan as a “historic and unprecedented move” that would bring lasting peace.
“The Gaza Strip a beautiful land right on the Mediterranean. It could be spectacular place someday. Building a beautiful city in that location would require a number of big investors and a hundred thousand craftsmen and laborers. Would the Palestinian people be ok with joining in the construction process? This could be an economic boom like no other if they could set aside their issues with Israel and the US,” X user Proud American posted.
“The U.S. and Israel agree under President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu to turn the Gaza Strip into the “Riviera of the Middle East”—a historic and unprecedented move that will bring lasting peace and stability to the region,” Hailing the plan, another user on X wrote.
Contrarily, many critics voiced strong opposition. Some questioned the feasibility and ethics of forcibly relocating millions of Palestinians. One user highlighted concerns about further foreign intervention, urging Trump to prioritise domestic issues over international conflicts and cease funding Ukraine. Others directly appealed to Trump, imploring him to abandon the plan, citing concerns about the appropriation of Gazan resources. “We should focus on America First and stop funding Ukraine, let’s take care of our own country,” One user said.
“Let’s make America great again, not get entangled in another Middle East conflict,” another user wrote in comments.
Jethro Lul, an X user wrote” Not what we voted for.”
Some of the users asked Trump to stop thinking this way and drop his plan to “annexe” Gaza. ” Sir please don’t do this,” one user said with another saying “Please don’t steal their gas resources!”.
Trump’s plan, which proposes the resettlement of Gaza’s two million Palestinians in unspecified locations, paints the current territory as a “demolition site” ripe for redevelopment. He envisions a future Gaza attracting global investment, generating jobs, and becoming a source of pride for the entire Middle East. Trump even stated the U.S. would take “long-term ownership” and be responsible for clearing unexploded ordnance.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump told reporters. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.”
“We’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of,” Trump said. “I do see a long-term ownership position and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East.”
Asked who would live there, Trump said it could become a home to “the world’s people.”
Trump’s vision clashes directly with long-standing U.S. policy and international consensus that views Gaza as part of a future Palestinian state. His proposal is almost certain to face fierce opposition from both allies and adversaries, raising significant questions about international relations in the region and the potential for Saudi Arabia to engage in a renewed US-brokered normalisation of relations with Israel.
Responding to his plans, Saudi Arabia has firmly rejected Trump’s proposals, stressing that it refuses to accept any plan that threatens the displacement of Palestinians or undermines their right to an independent state. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the Kingdom’s unwavering commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has consistently highlighted Saudi Arabia’s stance, reiterating in speeches and regional summits that the Kingdom will not normalize relations with Israel without a clear and binding commitment to Palestinian statehood.
