Trump and Netanyahu Set to Chart Gaza’s Next Chapter at Mar-a-Lago

The Mar-a-Lago Summit: Two Leaders, One Contested Strip

Palm Beach, Florida—The manicured lawns of Mar-a-Lago will host more than charity galas this week. On Tuesday evening, Donald J. Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu will slip past the clubhouse cameras and into a private dining room where the future of Gaza is expected to be sketched on the back of a single-page map.

A Plan Months in the Making

Sources inside both camps tell The Ledger that the so-called "Phase Two" proposal has already been circulated among intelligence chiefs in Jerusalem and policy advisors in Mar-a-Lago. It outlines a staggered Israeli withdrawal from two corridors inside the Strip, a multinational Arab force to police the Rafah crossing, and a U.S.–brokered economic package worth $8 billion over five years.

"We’re not talking about a cease-fire. We’re talking about an architecture that keeps the cease-fire in place once it happens," a senior Israeli diplomat said, requesting anonymity because the details remain classified.

Why Trump, Why Now?

Though out of office, Trump remains the Republican front-runner and commands a war chest of $110 million for his 2024 bid. Hosting Netanyahu offers a dual dividend: it burnishes his "dealmaker" brand with evangelical voters and pressures the Biden administration to keep the Gaza file open for a potential second Trump term.

Netanyahu’s Tightrope

The Israeli prime minister lands in Florida trailing a wave of domestic criticism over judicial overhaul and intelligence lapses preceding the Oct. 7 attacks. A photo-op with Trump could reassure his right-wing base that the alliance with Washington—at least with a possible future one—remains ironclad.

What Each Side Wants

• Israel: A security corridor along the Philadelphi Route, a demilitarized Hamas, and Arab recognition of Israel’s right to self-defense.
• Trump: A foreign-policy "win" to tout on the campaign trail and leverage with Gulf donors.
• Palestinian Authority: A seat at any post-war reconstruction table—something neither Trump nor Netanyahu has guaranteed.

Regional Calculations

Egyptian and Jordanian officials were briefed on the outline last week in Amman, according to two Arab envoys. Cairo’s price for cooperation: no permanent Israeli reoccupation of Gaza and a timeline for Palestinian elections within 18 months. Neither demand appears in the current draft.

The Economic Carrot

Trump’s team is dangling a reconstruction fund seeded by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and private U.S. investors. In exchange, the kingdom wants progress on a civilian nuclear program and fewer congressional hurdles on arms deals. Critics warn the fund could become a slush vehicle unless governance benchmarks are met.

Domestic Echoes

Back in Washington, Senate Foreign Relations Committee members have requested a classified briefing before any announcement. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) told reporters, "We won’t outsource American policy to a resort in Florida," signaling potential sanctions if the plan circumvents existing aid restrictions.

What Happens Next

Expect a joint statement—heavy on adjectives, light on timelines—within 24 hours of the meeting. Behind the scenes, Trump loyalists will test whether Gulf states will front-load cash, while Netanyahu’s aides gauge if the proposal can survive Israel’s fractious security cabinet. Until then, the Strip remains suspended between war and an uncertain peace, its fate scribbled somewhere between a golf-course napkin and a classified dossier.