Written by Ted Lewis, Global Exchange’s Human Rights Director.
February 5, 2025
Among Trump’s many putrid ideas and initiatives….….welcoming his close ally, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to the United States – by proposing to depopulate Gaza and put it under U.S. occupation instead of re-building it for Gazans – is among the worst.
Granted, with political arsonists on the loose in DC, multiple uncontrolled wildfires are burning in America – open assaults on the Constitution, illegally putting right-wing billionaire Elon Musk in control of federal spending, scapegoating and persecuting immigrants nationwide; accelerating fossil fuel use while knee-capping America’s growing green economy; insulting and threatening our neighbors and biggest trading partners; the list, as you know, goes on-and-on. We must find ways to respond, hold the line, and put out blazes on multiple fronts.
The Netanyahu fire: Trump welcomes Netanyahu to Washington as a war criminal who prolonged the Gaza genocide to keep from facing Israeli voters and to help Trump win. Trump is showing his profound gratitude by 1.) inviting Netanyahu as the first foreign dignitary to visit Washington in the Trump 2.0 era and 2.) gift-wrapping the pernicious idea that Gazans have no better alternative than to abandon Gaza for Egypt or Jordan.
It is already clear that Trump 2.0 will continue to “flood the zone with bullshit” so that all manner of terrible and even fascist ideas can come to the surface and acquire a patina of normalcy. This gruesome “final solution” idea for Gaza of mass expulsion of Palestinians is one of those terrible and pernicious ideas.
We know we need to oppose it, but Trump is going to threaten or offend someone every day. We can’t let Trump and his minions set the agenda – endlessly triggering us with outrageous and mean-spirited attacks, but nor can we let outrageous and mean-spirited attacks go unanswered.
This month, we will again bring you information and direct coverage from Gaza, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and the West Bank, working with our Mexican partners from RompeventoTV and others. We are also happy to report that we have just confirmed we will be organizing a US tour this spring for two dynamic Palestinian speakers, Hania Bittar and Aws Melhem, who are part of the international “Global Solidarity for Palestine Coordination” group Global Exchange works with (see speaker details below).
Please sign up here [GX-Palestine Action Alerts] to be notified when our correspondents begin broadcasting live from the region and to be first in line for dates and information about the upcoming tour.
As for the rest of the Trump emergency: it is deeply disturbing. Like you, we are watching closely, contemplating deeply and talking with each other a lot. We are by no means disengaged and plan to be coming at you on all channels this year as winter turns to spring, the shock starts to wear off, and the reality of what we are up against starts to sink in even among those who were convinced that Trump might be ok.
We need to welcome those folks back and everyone else under the sun into new coalitions that bring people together, not as bullies but around common dreams of community, fairness, and good old fashioned people-to-people ties.
Big hugs from Global Exchange,
The sun still rises. We are all in this together.