How to Stop Trump’s Plan for the Ethnic Cleansing of Gaza
Donald Trump’s plan to forcibly evict Palestinians from Gaza may have been the product of a sudden whim, but that doesn’t mean he’ll discard it easily. Determined resistance from Arab and European states will be needed to block this catastrophic scheme.
US president Donald Trump greets Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House on February 4, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
For now, the cease-fire deal between Hamas and the Israeli government appears to be holding, but Donald Trump’s proposal for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza has been the main focus of discussion for the past few weeks. We spoke to Paul Rogers about whether Trump is likely to follow through on his plan and what the Arab states can or will do to stop him. We also discussed whether the cease-fire will remain in place over the coming weeks, as Benjamin Netanyahu’s government threatens to resume a full-scale onslaught against Gaza.
Paul Rogers is emeritus professor of peace studies at the University of Bradford. His most recent book is The Insecurity Trap: A Short Guide to Transformation. This is an edited transcript from Jacobin’s Long Reads podcast. You can listen to the interview here.
Daniel Finn
I want to begin by asking you about Donald Trump’s proposal for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, which is clearly what is being discussed behind euphemisms about “voluntary migration.” How did he come to put this proposal on the agenda in the wake of the cease-fire deal that had been agreed between Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and Hamas, and how serious do you think he is about following through on it?
Paul Rogers
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