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n a bold move, President Donald Trump has unveiled a vision for Gaza that's as audacious as it is unorthodox. He envisions the seaside strip of land transformed into the "Riviera of the Middle East," with the United States taking ownership and spearheading its revitalization. The idea may have sent shockwaves through the room, but Trump's message was clear: he believes Gazans deserve better than the squalor and desperation that has come to define their lives.

    For over a year, Israel has been waging a campaign against Hamas in Gaza, seeking to prevent future atrocities like the 2023 massacre that left 1,200 dead and 251 hostages. Trump's assessment is stark: Gaza is now a "hellhole" that's barely habitable. He's proposed a radical solution – relocating Palestinians to other countries while the US takes charge of rebuilding.

    The obstacles are numerous, but Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, suggests that Palestinian leaders have been incentivized by the Arab world to maintain their suffering as a symbol of national resistance. This dynamic has been in place since 1948, and it's what makes Trump's proposal so intriguing.

    By forcing the Arab world to engage more seriously with the prospect of Gazans being relocated, Trump may be nudging them towards providing an alternative solution. Danny Danon, Israel's U.N. ambassador, agrees that any transfer should require consent from both those leaving Gaza and those receiving them. However, Trump's proposal for US ownership is crucial in preventing a repeat of the 2005 withdrawal, which saw Hamas take control.

    While it's unlikely that Trump's "Riviera of the Middle East" scheme will become a reality, his message to Palestinians is clear: they deserve better than the misery that pervades their lives. The worst part is that this misery is a choice – a bad one, but not an irreversible one.