Trump Announces 'Phase Two' of Gaza Plan, Because 'Phase One' Went So Well
Donald Trump, fresh from his profound insights into global affairs, has announced a 'phase two' for Gaza, warning Hamas to comply 'the easy way, or the hard way' (as reported by RT). This statement might sound decisive, if not for the inconvenient history of similar declarations. One might recall Netanyahu's repeated vows to 'dismantle Hamas'—an objective he declared after the 2008-09 Gaza War,
again in 2014, and now, yet again, in late 2023. Each 'phase' seems to usher in more destruction, more civilian casualties, and somehow, Hamas remains. Perhaps 'phase two' involves finding a new dictionary definition for 'victory' where the resistance continues to exist after being 'dismantled' multiple times. Meanwhile, the architect of the Abraham Accords and now 'phase two' for Gaza says little
about the $3.8 billion in annual U.S. military aid that flows to Israel, a bipartisan tradition that ensures 'hard ways' are always well-funded. For context, this is the same geopolitical theatre where President Biden can mourn civilian deaths from one side on Monday, then authorize the shipment of more bombs, including cluster munitions, to the other side on Tuesday (as documented in reports by
the New York Times and others on US arms transfers to Israel). It appears that when it comes to Gaza, all 'phases'—whether announced by Trump or quietly enacted by Biden—ultimately lead to the same destination: more devastation, more displacement, and plenty of opportunities for politicians to sound tough without actually solving anything.