(NewsNation) — President Trump’s controversial proposal to displace Palestinians from Gaza could end up undermining national security, a counterterrorism expert says.
The Republican president last week suggested the U.S. could “take over” the war-torn enclave for redevelopment.
Trump said 2 million Palestinians would have to be relocated, maybe permanently, as the territory is rebuilt. The idea has been panned by Democrats and even some GOP members and notably lacks support from Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
NewsNation national security contributor Tracy Walder tells “NewsNation Prime” that Trump’s idea could derail the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, not to mention aggravate anti-U.S. sentiment abroad.
Walder, a former CIA officer and FBI agent, said people living in unstable circumstances sometimes turn to “nefarious actors, such as terrorist organizations.”
Asked if U.S. ownership of Gaza helps or hurts the chances for stability there, Walder said: “I personally believe that it hurts the matter.”