Trump Governance Pursues “Alternate Safe Communities” Plan for Gaza, Facing Widespread Obstacles
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is moving forward with a controversial plan to establish “Alternate Safe Communities” within Gaza, intended to provide housing and stability for vetted Palestinians, but the initiative is already encountering meaningful hurdles from regional governments, Palestinian officials, and logistical challenges, according to U.S. and Israeli sources. The plan, a component of the broader, yet unapproved, peace proposal, envisions a phased transition of control from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to a multinational force, ultimately overseen by a “technocratic, apolitical committee” of Palestinians.
The concept originated with a 1980s initiative, championed by then-National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane, to create safe havens for refugees, which inadvertently resulted in a program where a low-level staffer “accidentally” made the overseer of the entire program.Roger Hilsman, then the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, later deemed the effort “worse than useless.”
Currently, a key sticking point is Palestinian willingness to relocate to these communities while the IDF maintains control. A U.S. official acknowledged this reluctance, alongside concerns about ensuring safe passage for vetted Gazans across military lines.Initial projections for the first settlement to be operational next month are now considered uncertain.
The plan hinges on transitioning control from the IDF to a multinational stabilization force on the Israeli side of the “yellow line” – a demarcation line within Gaza. However, progress has stalled due to a lack of approval from both Israel and Hamas for the broader peace plan beyond the current cease-fire, which has been punctuated by intermittent violence. Hamas has reportedly killed Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israeli forces.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that Israel will retain veto power over which countries can participate in the multinational force. Several potential candidate countries may reconsider their involvement given their opposition to the “Alternate Safe Communities” plan. The proposal to relocate Palestinians to housing on the Israeli side of the yellow line has sparked alarm among European, Arab, and Muslim governments. one Arab diplomat told the Financial Times that a “clash” is anticipated between Palestinians, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, the U.S., and Israel if the U.S. continues to support Israel’s position.
Financing for the rebuilding of Gaza and the construction of new housing remains unresolved. While former President Trump called on “Muslim and arab nations” to provide funding, no commitments have been secured. The State Department is currently planning to utilize aid organizations to provide basic services within the new communities and to contract an existing firm for management.
Critically, the official with direct knowledge of the plans revealed that “it’s unclear if there was any consultation at all with any Palestinian” regarding the “Alternate Safe Communities” component of the broader peace proposal. The plan envisions a “technocratic, apolitical committee of competent Palestinians from the Strip” ultimately managing day-to-day operations across all of Gaza, but the lack of early engagement raises questions about its feasibility and acceptance.
