Exclusive | Why Arab nations may secretly approve of Trumps Gaza takeover proposal

Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations have publicly rejected President Trump’s plan to evacuate war-torn Gaza’s 2.3 million residents so the US can “take over” and redevelop the land.But, they may come to support it in secret because it would finally solve decades of conflict and end Hamas’ iron grip, a former Israel-Palestine negotiator says.Avi Melamed, an ex Israeli intelligence official who served as a senior Arab affairs adviser to Jerusalem, said Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan are likely interested in Trump’s future vision for Gaza as a possible solution to their Hamas problem.“I wouldn’t be surprised to know that in the back rooms, the Saudis, the Egyptians, the Jordanians, are very much happy about Trump’s… that idea of the United States taking control over the situation in Gaza,” Melamed told The Post.“We have to remember that in the end of the day, Hamas presents Egypt and Jordan and the Saudis and the Emirates… a significant threat,” he added.The Arab nations have previously shown disdain for Hamas, which seized power of the Gaza Strip in 2007.The terror group is backed by Iran, which is a major regional rival.

Arab officials instead would like to tap the ousted Palestinian Authority to return and oversee order in the enclave.Melamed, however, insists that there needs to be a “big, significant game-changer on the ground” to change the balance of power in Gaza.For that reason, the Arab nations might be open to the idea of having the US in Gaza.However, a major stumbling block will likely be Trump’s proposal to move the Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million people into Egypt and Jordan.They both rejected the proposal on Wednesday despite the president’s claim that they “love the ideal.”Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said that Gaza must be rebuilt “without moving the Palestinians out,” as he pushed for a two-state solution to end the conflict in the Middle East.Cairo has long maintained a strong border around the Ga...