Recent US commentary backing President Donald Trump’s extraordinary American Gaza takeover project has regularly stressed how critics should come up with a better plan.

Fair enough.

Here is an ABC answer:

A. The US should immediately join over 140 other UN member countries and recognize Palestine as a sovereign state; and then

B. Stop all military and economic aid to Israel without delay -- over US$300 billion in total since 1946 according to the US Council on Foreign Relations; and then

C. Apply all future sums that were set to go to Israel – presently US$3.8 billion a year through until 2028 – to rebuilding Gaza for its 2 million plus traumatized Palestinian residents and boost this as required in part atonement for America’s horrific facilitation of the Gaza genocide.

As it happens, one of those calling for critics to step up with “a better idea” is the new US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. He lately argued that critical countries should say: “We’re going to pay for this (rebuilding of Gaza)” but “none of them is offering to do it”.

Note how Rubio implies that, in contrast to its skinflint, armchair critics, the US is ready to pay for the rebuilding of Gaza. Interesting.

When the US President was recently interviewed in the presence of the King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of Jordan – and Mr Rubio – Mr Trump stressed how there was no need for the US “to buy” Gaza. Rather, America was simply “going to it take it ”.

Moreover, according to the Washington Post, the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified, not long ago, that: “ The administration does not intend to pay for the reconstruction of Gaza ”.

It looks like Mr Rubio should first check with what the President believes he has committed to on Gaza before implying what Mr Rubio believes Mr Trump has committed to. Especially as some already argue that he may not be set to last long as Secretary of State.

Richard Cullen is an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. He was previously a Professor in the Department of Business Law and Taxation at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

This is a republication from PEARLS & IRRITATIONS website at https://johnmenadue.com/post/2025/04/an-arresting-american-gaza-challenge/

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.