Almost half — 43% — of Israeli Jews think Trump’s proposal to move two-thirds of the population of Gaza out, to be temporarily resettled in Egypt and Jordan, so that reconstruction can take place, to be both desirable and doable.
By Hugh Fitzgerald, Frontpage Magazine
Trump has made a proposal about moving 1.5 million people out of Gaza, to Egypt and Jordan, so as to make it possible to begin the immense work of reconstruction in the Strip.
This suggestion was treated as absurd, bizarre, deserving only of gales of supercilious laughter.
But the people of Gaza, many of whom, as soon as the ceasefire was declared, headed to their previous homes in northern Gaza, only to find them in ruins, and then quickly turned around and headed back to tent cities in the south, did not dismiss his proposal.
Some of those Gazans are now clamoring to be allowed to go through the Rafah crossing in order to enter Egypt. They don’t think Trump’s suggestion was crazy. Nor has anyone opposed to his suggestion explained why it should be considered so laughable.
Does anyone have a better idea as to how reconstruction can be undertaken in Gaza without removing some of its 2.2 million people?
There is plenty of space in the Sinai where Gazans could be temporarily resettled until rubble can be removed and housing be built for them in the Strip.
Those who want the best outcome for the Gazans — a return to normal life in the Strip, with Gazans settled in apartments rather than in the tents they are now living in, should not mock, but welcome Trump’s suggestion.
As of now, despairing Gazans have been cursing Hamas for the ruin it has brought upon them; they have even allowed themselves to be filmed for Falasteeen TV denouncing the terror group — their rage has overcome their fear.
It is not only many Gazans who think Trump’s suggestion would make their own lives much easier, for they would not be condemned to living in the midst of a huge construction site, which is what Gaza will naturally become.
A large majority of Israeli Jews support US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Gaza’s population to other countries, a Jewish People Policy Institute Israel Index survey revealed Monday. More on this survey can be found here:
“Approx. 80% of Israelis support Trump’s plan to relocate Gazans – survey,” Jerusalem Post, February 3, 2025:
A large majority of Israeli Jews support US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Gaza’s population to other countries, a Jewish People Policy Institute Israel Index survey revealed Monday.
The survey, which was published ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump in Washington, found that approximately eight out of 10 Jewish Israelis support Trump’s suggestion that “Arabs from Gaza should relocate to another country,” while most Arab Israelis oppose the proposal.
According to the findings, 43% of all Israelis believe Trump’s plan is “practical” and should be pursued, while an additional 30% of Jewish Israelis responded that the plan is “not practical, but desirable,” meaning they support the idea but do not see it as realistically feasible.
Almost half — 43% — of Israeli Jews think Trump’s proposal to move two-thirds of the population of Gaza out, to be temporarily resettled in Egypt and Jordan, so that reconstruction can take place, to be both desirable and doable.
After all, the full reconstruction of Gaza will take up to 10-15 years. During that time a few hundred thousand Gazans can each year return, as the housing stock in Gaza is built.
Both Egypt and Jordan have turned Trump’s proposal down flat, but he has yet to apply the kind of pressure that will change their minds.
Another 30% of Israeli Jews support Trump’s proposal, but consider it “impractical.” What does that mean? It means that they believe it’s impossible to achieve because of the refusal of Egypt and Jordan to take in those Gazans.
But they are overlooking the fact that Trump has ways to overcome those countries’ refusal to take in Gazans: he can threaten to cut off the billions of dollars in aid that the U.S. government provides to both countries — close to $2 billion a year to Jordan and $1.7 billion to Egypt. That’s a large carrot if provided, a big stick if it is withheld.
However, 13% of Israelis believe Trump’s proposal is “immoral.” This group includes 54% of Arab respondents and only 3% of Jewish Israelis.
Only 3% of Jewish Israelis consider Trump’s proposal to move 1.5 million people temporarily out of Gaza “immoral.” That’s a very tiny number. Israelis know that such a move would help Gazans to live better while the reconstruction is going on, and they would no longer be subject to Hamas despotism.
Neither the rulers of Egypt or of Jordan would allow Hamas to have any role in ruling over Gazan Palestinians in their countries.
And with two-thirds of Gazans no longer living in the Strip, the ability of Hamas to launch attacks on Israel from Gaza would also be much diminished. Fewer people in Gaza also means fewer Hamas combatants.
The JPPI study also found differences in opinion in political views, with 81% of right-wing respondents saying the plan is both desirable and practical, compared to 31% of those in the Center and 27% of left-wing Jewish respondents….
Again, those who claim Trump’s proposal is “impractical” because Egypt and Jordan will not accept it ignore the enormous economic pressure Trump can bring to bear on the governments of both countries.
It’s not just a question of ending the aid — a total of more than $3 billion annually — but also of putting tariffs on goods from both countries, a weapon Trump is fond of wielding.
Both countries could also be blocked from buying American goods, especially weapons, as well as spare parts needed to replace aging parts in the American weapons that are already in the Egyptian and Jordanian arsenals.
If Trump’s pressure — both carrots and sticks — on Egypt and Jordan, were to be used, so that both countries agreed to take in a total of 1.5 million Gazans for resettlement, his formerly “impractical” suggestion would suddenly become “practical.”
In sum, nearly 80% of Israeli Jews support — that is, regard as desirable — Trump’s plan to remove 1.5 million people from Gaza and to place them in Egypt and Jordan while reconstruction is going on.
How many years that might take is not clear, but estimates run from 10 to 15 years for a complete restoration of the Strip. Long before then some of those 1.5 million will be allowed back into Gaza, wherever housing has been built for them; residential housing should be the first priority of those doing the reconstruction.
That plan will be good for those Gazans, for they will not be living in the middle of a construction site, nor will those temporarily settled in Egypt and Jordan any longer have to endure being ruled by Hamas.
And it will, obviously, be good for Israel, which will have a much smaller number of people — and of the terrorists among them — to deal with.
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