n the volatile landscape of Middle East politics, two seismic events unfolded in late September, reshaping narratives around the Israel’s war on Gaza. On September 26, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a fiery address to the United Nations General Assembly, vowing to block Palestinian statehood amid walkout by dozens of delegates.

Three days later, on September 29, US President Donald Trump unveiled a 21-point peace plan following a White House meeting with Netanyahu, proposing an end to the Gaza violence, hostage release, and a potential pathway to Palestinian statehood.

The new proposal marks a significant shift in Washington’s stance. It is a major change from February, when President Trump shocked the world by suggesting the US could take over Gaza, build a Riveria, and permanently relocate its two million people.

In a transformative step toward Gaza’s revival, “residents will have the freedom to choose their path, with no one forced to leave their homeland. Those who wish to depart will be free to do so and return at their discretion, while a bold initiative encourages Gazans to stay and shape a brighter future.” Israel will neither occupy nor annex Gaza, paving the way for a transformative era of redevelopment and self-governance. Hamas and similar groups will have no role in Gaza’s future administration, ensuring a focus on stability and progress.

A newly formed technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, backed by international experts, will manage essential public services and municipal operations, ensuring stability and support for the region’s people.

To complement this effort, President Trump will spearhead an ambitious economic development plan, assembling a panel of experts behind the Middle East’s thriving modern cities.

The plan’s suggestion of a potential path to a future Palestinian state—after Gaza is rebuilt and the Palestinian Authority undergoes reforms—also represents a major departure from Trump administration’s previous refusal to endorse a two-state solution.

Some analysts argue that the proposed 21-point plan outlines a pathway to Palestinian statehood that is so heavily conditional it appears watered down to the point of being largely theoretical.

While it represents a rhetorical evolution from the Trump administration’s earlier musings on relocating Gaza’s population, statehood is presented not as a ‘right’ or a guaranteed outcome, but as a distant ‘reward’ contingent on meeting a series of vaguely defined and immensely challenging prerequisites.

A transitional........

© The News on Sunday