While the international community awaits ceasefire announcements to end the violence in Gaza, Yanis Varoufakis expresses strong opposition to Trump’s peace plan. The former Greek Finance Minister spoke to CNN TÜRK and emphasized that everyone must resist this proposal. According to Mr. Varoufakis, Tony Blair has no place in Gaza, but belongs in court.
Why Yanis Varoufakis characterizes Trump’s plan as indirect annexation
When asked to analyze his statement about indirect annexation, Yanis Varoufakis explained that Trump’s plan essentially provides for the annexation of the Gaza Strip by Trump himself. As the former minister said, Trump, instead of proposing United Nations intervention to end the genocide or restart a peace process, proposes creating a company with himself as chairman of the board.
The role reserved for Tony Blair as CEO provokes particular reaction from Varoufakis. “He was a prime minister who, together with George Bush, bypassing the United Nations, attacked Iraq in the most ruthless way, violating international law. As a result, approximately 1 million people lost their lives. Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza has been shaped within this framework,” he said.
The violation of international law and consequences for Palestine
According to Yanis Varoufakis, Trump’s plan completely ignores the International Court of Justice’s June 2024 decision, which ordered Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza. Furthermore, it separates Gaza from the West Bank, creating a dangerous precedent.
Yanis Varoufakis emphasizes that even if everyone agrees with Trump’s plan, the question about the West Bank remains. “Messrs. Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, who are in Netanyahu’s government and are accused, among other things, of war crimes, will continue the annexation of the West Bank. This is exactly what they have told us they will do,” he said, speaking to CNN TÜRK.
The hypocrisy of European leaders in recognizing Palestine
Although European countries have begun recognizing Palestine as a state, Varoufakis calls leaders like Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and others hypocrites. Together with his party “MeRA25,” he argues that these leaders recognize the Palestinian state without actually wanting it to exist. The basic contradiction, according to Yanis Varoufakis, is that before establishing a state, the genocide against the Palestinian people must stop. Without a Palestinian people, there can be no Palestinian state, he noted.
Genocide in Gaza: The evidence is clear
When asked about using the term “genocide,” Varoufakis responds categorically that there is no doubt. As he said, leading experts on genocide, many of whom are Jewish, confirm this assessment. “Former Mossad chiefs speak of genocide. An independent commission appointed by the UN also ruled that it is genocide. The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem has declared it genocide. The UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, also clearly stated it is genocide. If this is not genocide, then the word ‘genocide’ would never have substantial meaning,” he said.
Return to white colonial law
At the same time, Yanis Varoufakis warns that implementing Trump’s plan will officially bring back the era of white colonial law. As he emphasized, the idea that Tony Blair, responsible for catastrophic conflicts in the Middle East, should manage Gaza instead of being tried for war crimes is in itself terrifying.
“The land is contaminated with chemicals, with Western chemicals. And to make this Westerner — who is essentially a war criminal — responsible for a people who practically have no political rights… this is the complete description of white colonial settlement,” he said.
The future of Palestine and resistance
However, despite the ominous developments, Mr. Varoufakis expresses faith in the Palestinian people’s resilience. As he told CNN TÜRK, the West is showing Netanyahu and the Knesset the possibilities of continuing ethnic cleansing, but Palestinians remain determined not to abandon their land. “This resistance, combined with the fatigue that will be created within Israeli society, and considering that the soldiers who committed these atrocities also have families and children, will have consequences. At some point they will return to Tel Aviv, to Haifa. They will see nightmares,” Yanis Varoufakis said, while noting that he believes even the worst murderers ultimately cannot live with their actions.
