As'ad AbuKhalil
The "Deal of the Century," or the Trump plan, was not surprising, neither in its timing nor in its content. It is nothing but the culmination and most brazen expression of a long-standing American policy of complete bias toward Israel, aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause in accordance with the maximalist demands of the Zionist project. What is new is the level of audacity and the open collaboration of certain Arab regimes, which have moved from secret complicity to public partnership in this scheme.
The Palestinian and popular Arab rejection of this plan was expected and inevitable. However, the crucial question now is how to translate this rejection from mere slogans and condemnations into a concrete and effective political strategy. It is not enough to say "no." We must formulate a "yes" to an alternative path forward, one that is grounded in rights and resistance, not illusions and concessions.
A realistic approach here does not mean accepting the status quo or surrendering to the enemy's terms. On the contrary, true realism means accurately assessing the balance of power and leveraging every available tool to mount a resistance. The illusion lies in believing that negotiations under American auspices or appeals to an indifferent international community can secure Palestinian rights. That path has been tried for decades and has only led to more loss of land and sovereignty.
Therefore, a realistic response must begin with two fundamental pillars:
First, Palestinian national unity must be restored. The schism between Fatah and Hamas is the greatest gift that can be offered to this liquidationist project. A unified leadership, based on a national consensus program that rejects the Oslo framework and its security coordination obligations, is the essential first step to confronting this existential threat. Without unity on the ground, all external efforts will be scattered and ineffective.
Second, popular resistance in all its forms must be activated and supported. It is the only language the occupation understands and the most potent tool for changing the balance of power. Relying on the international community or the complicit Arab regimes is a delusion. The real wager must be on the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and the solidarity of the free peoples of the world.
Trump's plan is not an inescapable fate. It is a challenge that requires the formulation of a unified Palestinian and Arab strategic response, one that is based on rejecting surrender and holding fast to inalienable rights. This is the true realism we need today, not the false realism of capitulation disguised as pragmatism.
* The article was first published in the Al Akhbar of Lebanon, in October 4th, 2025. It has been translated from Arabic to English with the kind support of the Levant Files team members. The Levant Files does not share all the arguments that have been expressed in the republished articles. We share the article due to the ongoing historical developments in the region.
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