EDIT: I removed my above post because frankly, we're talking about each other and I just want to get to the meat and potatoes of it all instead
Fair enough. I've removed my reply too.
How about a TLDR overview statement and just cut out all of the side fluff
@Silvanus; do you believe that if Harris were president right now, this wouldn't be happening?
The bombing and mass internal displacement, the razing of infrastructure, everything that was already happening under Biden would be happening under Harris.
I do not believe the US President would be launching an effort to remove the entirety of the population, over 2 million people.
Because I 100% in my heart of hearts believe this exact scenario would still be happening whether Harris was in charge or Trump was in charge. I 100% believe that this has been Israel's plan this entire time and this is what they would have pushed for regardless of who would would currently be in power now. I 100% believe that Harris would be following the same exact playbook because she would have no desire to stand up to Israel any more than Biden had.
The only difference I believe between a hypothetical February 11th 2025 Israel/Palestine plan with Harris in charge and a current day February 11th 2025 plan with Trump in charge is that we wouldn't be hearing about it anymore since Harris is smart enough to shut the hell up once in a while where there isn't a silence in the world that Trump wouldn't rush in to fill with the sound of his talking.
I think several higher-ups in Likud-- Netanyahu, Gallant, Katz and others, as well as quite a few of their hard-right predecessors-- have had a scenario in mind for complete displacement and takeover for a number of years. However, they've instead opted for a piecemeal approach, seizing parcels of land, illegal settlements and expansions, and
haven't launched a serious one-and-done takeover and expulsion in those years.
I think there are several reasons for this. One is of course armed resistance. But also, they are wary of 1) causing Israeli citizens too much discomfort, lest they lose their power; and 2) pushing international opinion (primarily in the US) to the point where it turns against them. A piecemeal approach is much easier to spin or brush under the carpet.
Biden was endlessly indulgent towards Israel. In service of that gradual, attritional approach-- as quite a few Presidents have been before him. Main consideration there was money and the maintenance of a regional ally.
Then comes Trump. And I don't think Trump is vocalising any particular plan that Netanyahu's government has actually had in mind. Netanyahu had his "ideal scenario" of total takeover in mind, on the backburner for years in favour of the slow burn approach-- but Trump just walks in and proclaims that his gov will take it all over. So Netanyahu sees the opportunity to switch up the heat.
