Gaza
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That’s a good article, but I think Friedman may be reading too much in to this.
Spanky saw a picture that showed a nice beach lined with substandard buildings and decided it would make a nice resort. Kushner said as much a few years back.
I think it really is that simple.
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More perspective, from DW:
https://www.dw.com/en/can-arab-nations-stop-trumps-gaza-riviera-plans/a-71614047
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An alternative to Donald Trump’s plan to turn the Gaza Strip into a US-owned “Riviera of the Middle East” is being prepared by Egypt in conjunction with the World Bank, under which Hamas would be formally excluded from governance and control of the territory’s reconstruction.
The process would be handed over on an interim basis to the control of a social or community support committee. No member of Hamas would sit on the committee. But the future military status of Hamas within Gaza is unresolved, which is likely to be a barrier to Israeli endorsement of the plan.
Arab states – principally the United Arab Emirates and Qatar – are preparing to make financial offers to fund reconstruction, but on the basis that Palestinians are given the right to remain in Gaza and are not forced to seek temporary or permanent refuge in Egypt or Jordan. Reconstruction would take three to five years, with 65% of the property in Gaza having been destroyed.
European sources admit the issue of providing security guarantees to Israel for Gaza remains unresolved since no Arab country is willing to offer troops in the absence of Israel offering a clear political horizon to a Palestinian state.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/16/egypt-gaza-reconstruction-plan-hamas
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The only way to "exclude" Hamas is to occupy the territory with a sizable military force that can go door to door seizing weapons and engaging in combat with battle groups that resist, and which can go tunnel to tunnel wiping out Hamas operatives in them. Any other idea is delusional. Hamas will kill its way to control as soon as it can.
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According to BBC radio 4 Trump(CF) a few minutes ago tweeted that Hamas must release all the remaining hostages and return all bodies now...or else...last warning.
Anyone seen his tweet and able to share?
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The Trump administration has been holding direct talks with Hamas over the release of U.S. hostages held in Gaza and the possibility of a broader deal to end the war, two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions tell Axios.
Why it matters: The talks — held by U.S. presidential envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler — are unprecedented. The U.S. had never before engaged directly with Hamas, which it designated a terrorist organization in 1997.
Behind the scenes: The meetings between Boehler and Hamas officials took place in Doha in recent weeks.
While the Trump administration consulted with Israel about the possibility of engaging with Hamas, Israel learned about aspects of the talks through other channels, one source said.
The sources spoke with Axios on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the sensitive meetings.
https://www.axios.com/2025/03/05/us-hamas-talks-gaza-war-israel
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Israeli forces seize Gaza-bound aid boat and detain Greta Thunberg and other activists ...
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Israeli forces seize Gaza-bound aid boat and detain Greta Thunberg and other activists ...
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@AndyD It's already been bombed into nothingness. Beat a dead horse if that's what you want.
@AndyD It's already been bombed into nothingness. Beat a dead horse if that's what you want.
The evil that holds 20 hostages is not dead.
The evil that fights for the annihilation of Israel and the Jews is not dead.
The evil that demands all Gazan males to be trained to kill Jews and destroy Israel is not dead. -
Of course it has.
All the Hamas terrorists have to do is release the remaining hostages. This has been repeated again & again, and ought to be the first words of any discussion.
Gaza is its people, not its buildings.
You'll be aware the Israelis have often forwarned the civilian Gazans where and when they were going to bomb in order to allow them egress. Yet Israel has the ability of doing what the US did on the night of 9th March 1945, and more.Never forget the hostages the Gazans still hold; and Egypt, which hasn't opened its border to their brothers & sisters despite the suffering caused by Hamas. Why is that do you think?
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All the Hamas terrorists have to do is release the hostages brutally abducted from their homes in 2003.
As for where exactly was bombed it would have to be proven deliberate. In war as shown by most every army anywhere in the world shit happens. Courts may write rules, but on the field if it's them or us, if it's my sister being held hostage for months by terrorists, well, I'd bomb them back to the stone age.
Sinking of the Belgrano by a UK sub in 1982 comes to my mind as an example of rules versus reality. Of course they'd invaded and taken Brits hostage.
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