Overlooked and Neglected by Trump: The Forgotten Palestinian People

I am a great fan of US President Donald Trump, who entered politics just ten years back and announced his candidature for the 2016 presidential race. On the eve of his swearing in as the 47th president of the United States, I shared my excitement with this Facebook post on January 20, 2025:

Image Credit: The Web

"The world is about to experience a series of tectonic shifts that will reshape the global landscape starting tonight. The policy changes at the White House will affect every country in the world, including the US itself, impacting their governments, economies, migrant populations, and national security. Starting tomorrow, the world will enter a new era, fundamentally different from what we know today."

And this is exactly what we are witnessing today!

Reshaping the Global Landscape

It is undeniable that Trump is significantly transforming America and reshaping the global landscape at the speed of light.

He has halted substantial USAID donations that were often utilized for very nebulous, unsavory, and suspicious activities. Approximately 230 USAID contracts and grants worth $7.5 billion were terminated by mid February.
He disclosed that USAID allocated $21 million for "voter turnout" (a euphemism for paying voters to effect regime change) by Biden administration in India during 2021-2024.
He signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from WHO, the World Health Organization, though it was a founding member in 1948, and has been a major financial contributor, providing between $163 million and $816 million annually in recent years.
He declared that US will not participate in UNHRC, the United Nations Human Rights Council, a body that promotes and protects human rights globally.
Under the first Trump administration the US withdrew from UNESCO in 2017. It rejoined UNESCO in July 2023, becoming the 194th member state of the organization, after Biden administration paid $150 million toward dues and arrears.
He has commenced the deportation of 11 million illegal immigrants from the USA to their respective countries.
He is engaged in discussions with Putin to end the Ukraine war.
He is insisting that European NATO members share the financial burden proportionately.
He is engaging in dialogue with China, discussing critical issues such as trade, fentanyl, and TikTok.
He is emphasizing the importance of collaboration for peace and immediate problem-solving between nations.
He is proposing the reconstruction of Gaza, with a temporary relocation of Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt.
He has issued final warnings to Hamas terrorists to return all Israeli hostages.

In summary, his innovative, groundbreaking, and unconventional approaches are resonating internationally, causing a ripple effect across the globe.

Notwithstanding the above-stated refreshing initiatives, I must express a significant grievance concerning President Trump's apathy towards the suffering of the Palestinian people.

Disregarding the Miseries of Palestinians

While Trump has issued warnings to Hamas regarding the return of all Israeli hostages, neither he nor his senior ministerial colleagues have addressed the plight of ordinary Palestinians. Over the past year and four months, more than 62,600 Palestinians (men, women, and children) have lost their lives, most of whom were ordinary people used as human shields by Hamas terrorists.

It is crucial to distinguish between ordinary Palestinian people and Hamas terrorists, even though Hamas is a subset of the Palestinian citizens.

As of June 2024, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by just over 75% of all UN members. It has been a non-member observer state of the UN General Assembly since November 2012. The State of Palestine covers an area of 6,020 sq km. The Palestinian territories are made up of the areas known as Gaza and the West Bank. Gaza is almost entirely urban whereas the West Bank is considerably more rural and is made up of smaller farming villages and towns. Hamas controls the Gaza Strip, a territory of about 365 sq km that is home to more than two million people.

Trump has dramatically suggested taking "ownership" of Gaza and redeveloping it into the Riviera of the Middle East by temporarily resettling displaced Palestinians into Egypt and Jordan until Gaza's redevelopment is complete.

While readily available blueprints can facilitate the development of Gaza's physical infrastructure, a range of other crucial infrastructure systems must be simultaneously established. These include digital, governance, political, educational, societal, economic, healthcare, security, and social infrastructure, as outlined in the following section.

Redevelopment of Palestine

Here's a concise overview of the essential infrastructure required for the redevelopment of the new State of Palestine:

Physical Infrastructure: These are the essential physical systems that enable a society or community to function, including roads, bridges, airports, railways, power plants, water supply systems, and telecommunications networks.

Existing blueprints can readily serve as the basis for developing Palestine's physical infrastructure.
Governance Infrastructure: This consists of the systems and processes that enable effective and accountable governance, including legal frameworks, regulatory bodies, public administration systems, and mechanisms for citizen participation.

During the temporary resettlement of displaced Palestinians in Egypt and Jordan, a transitional governance structure should be established. This body should include representation from key Arab nations, Israel, and global powers such as the USA, Russia, China, and India. Its mandate should encompass oversight of the redevelopment of Gaza and the West Bank, and it should serve as the foundation for the future government of the State of Palestine for a defined period.
Digital Infrastructure: This comprises the hardware, software, and applications that enable digital communication and data processing, including internet networks, broadband access, data centers, cloud computing platforms, and mobile communication networks.
A robust digital infrastructure is essential, encompassing biometric identification for all individuals, facilitating bank account openings, enabling direct transfer of humanitarian aid and subsidies to beneficiaries, and supporting digital payments. India's Aadhaar system, developed by UIDAI, offers a well-proven model. Aadhaar provides a unique 12-digit identification number, serving as a portable and verifiable proof of identity through demographic and biometric data. This allows secure online access to government services (such as education, healthcare, security etc. services described below) and financial transactions nationwide.
Deploying this digital infrastructure, even during the temporary resettlement phase in Egypt and Jordan, is crucial for enrolment of all legitimate Palestinian citizens biometrically for security purposes. Direct transfer of aid and subsidies is particularly vital, as past experience has shown that donations and humanitarian aid channeled through UNRWA were often misappropriated by Hamas intermediaries within the organization.
Political Infrastructure: This consists of the institutions and norms that shape political processes and power structures, such as political parties, electoral systems, media, civil society organizations, and the rule of law. Ensuring political stability and democratic processes is crucial for the sustained growth of the State of Palestine.

As the physical infrastructure of the new State of Palestine is being built from scratch, these crucial political infrastructure elements should be established from the outset, incorporating global best practices.
Educational Infrastructure: This includes building and organizing structures that support education and learning, including schools, universities, libraries, online learning platforms, and educational resources. Introducing a modern education system that fosters critical thinking and innovation is highly essential for the future generations.

A modern, secular education system should be implemented for Palestinian children and youth, focusing on skills and knowledge relevant to the 21st century. Following the example of Islamic nations like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, religion should be discarded from public places, and religious instruction should be separated from public education. This approach will help cultivate a generation of peaceful and engaged citizens prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the modern world.
Societal Infrastructure: This consists of the cognitive and emotional resources that enable individuals and societies to thrive, including mental health services, education about mental well-being, social support systems, and cultural attitudes that promote mental health.
It's crucial to foster a positive shift in attitudes, moving away from the anti-Jewish sentiment propagated by political Islamists over time. Palestinians should be empowered to reject terrorism and violence, embrace democratic principles, and support equal opportunities for women. Critically, children must be raised with a clear understanding of the distinction between Islam as a religion and Islamism as a political ideology. While Islam is a faith practiced by millions, Islamism is a distinct ideology seeking to impose Islamic principles on government and society, a goal not shared by the majority of Muslims.
Economic Infrastructure: This includes developing a robust economic system that supports job creation, entrepreneurship, trade, and investment. Establishing policies that promote economic growth and reduce poverty are important aspects of this infrastructure.
Healthcare Infrastructure: Ensuring access to quality healthcare services, including hospitals, clinics, and medical professionals are the major functions of this infrastructure. Promoting public health initiatives and preventive care to improve overall health and well-being are accomplished under this.
Security Infrastructure: The work involves building a reliable security framework to maintain law and order, protect citizens, and ensure national security. This infrastructure encompasses police forces, military, and intelligence agencies.

One of the challenging tasks is distinguishing Hamas terrorists from ordinary Palestinians, utilizing intelligence data available from Israel. India's biometric enrollment and identification system would serve as the cornerstone of this security apparatus.
Social Infrastructure: Establishing systems that support social welfare, including housing, social services, and community development programs are part of this infrastructure. They ensure that the basic needs of all citizens are met.

In conclusion, I sincerely hope that President Trump and his advisors will consider these suggestions to help recreate a new State of Palestine, addressing various aspects to ensure stability, prosperity, and peace for its people.

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