Is Trump Saying Goodbye to “Greater Israel”?

A New Power Play, or Just Another Masked Empire?

In a development that could reshape geopolitics in the Middle East, former U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly backing away from the long-standing U.S.-Israeli neocon alliance centered on the concept of a “Greater Israel.” The implications are seismic.

Trump’s team is quietly engineering a neo-colonial pivot, a strategic withdrawal from supporting Israeli territorial expansion in exchange for transforming Gaza into a U.S.-controlled territory. Yes, you read that right.

Gaza, that battered strip of land long besieged by Israel, now risks becoming an American satellite, not a free Palestinian homeland.

What Is the Greater Israel Project?

For decades, the term “Greater Israel” has represented a Zionist expansionist vision, one that stretches from the River Nile in Egypt to the Euphrates in Iraq. Though never officially declared Israeli state policy, it’s deeply embedded in the ideology of Likud and many right-wing Israeli institutions.

Its real-world expression?

Occupation of the West Bank

Annexation of East Jerusalem

Relentless airstrikes on Gaza

Endless war drums against Lebanon, Syria, Iran

America, especially under Bush and later Obama, played a key role in propping up this vision, arming Israel, vetoing UN resolutions, and exporting chaos in the region.

But now, under Trump’s reemergence and growing geopolitical ambitions, there seems to be a sharp detour.

Gaza as an American Territory?

Instead of leaving Gaza to Israel or to a sovereign Palestinian government, Trump’s team envisions an American protectorate, possibly governed by a puppet Arab administration or under a humanitarian pretext.

Make no mistake: this is not about peace, nor justice for the Palestinian people.
This is neo-colonialism 2.0.

Netanyahu’s Growing Isolation

Behind closed doors, Trump’s shift has reportedly infuriated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a key architect of the current apartheid system and occupation regime. Netanyahu, once a darling of U.S. Republicans, is increasingly finding himself politically isolated, abroad and even at home, where massive protests, war crimes allegations, and deep divisions rock Israeli society.

Washington’s real goal, analysts suggest, is to quietly shelve the “Greater Israel” doctrine while maintaining the rhetoric and military presence in the region. They want control, not Israeli expansion. The new imperial strategy seems to be:
“Israel, you’re useful, but not indispensable.”

Should We Celebrate?

Here’s where it gets complicated.

If Trump truly kills the “Greater Israel” agenda, it’s a significant blow to Zionist extremism and occupation ideology.

But if he merely replaces Israeli domination with American colonization, Gaza remains a prison—just under new wardens.

This is not liberation. This is repackaged imperialism.

Palestinians: Still Pawns on a Global Chessboard

While Trump and Netanyahu clash behind the scenes, Palestinians continue to suffer the consequences of decades of global betrayal. Their homes are still rubble. Their children still live under blockade. Their futures remain uncertain.

Whether it’s Tel Aviv or Washington flying the flag over Gaza, without full Palestinian sovereignty, the oppression continues.

Beware the Empire in Disguise

In global politics, empires don’t die.
They evolve. They rebrand. They swap flags.

The U.S. might abandon the Greater Israel roadmap, not out of moral awakening, but to plant its own empire more firmly in the ashes. Gaza may become less of an Israeli fortress, but only to become an American outpost.

Trump’s move isn’t peace.
It’s a reshuffling of colonial priorities.

The people of Palestine deserve better than to be reduced to bargaining chips in the hands of war-hardened men with imperial dreams.

By Chima Nnadi-Oforgu
Oblong Media Unlimited
Date: 16 May 2025