Donald Trump's quick trip to Israel and Egypt was the victory lap he wanted. Anyone watching the speeches he made in Jerusalem and Sharm el-Sheikh could see a man luxuriating in his power - enjoying the applause in Israel's parliament, and in Egypt, basking in the fact that so many heads of state and government had flown in. One veteran diplomat in the room said it looked as if Trump saw the role of the world leaders there as extras on his film set. Trump's message at Sharm was, in effect, that he had created a historical turning point.
'All I've done all my life is deals. The greatest deals just sort of happen… That's what happened right here. And maybe this is going to be the greatest deal of them all,' he said.
Observers might also have had the impression from the speeches that the job is done. It is not. Without question, Trump can claim credit for the ceasefire and hostage exchange deal. Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt used their leverage with Hamas to force it to accept. That made it a joint effort, but Trump's role was decisive. Without his push to demand Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's agreement to terms that he had previously rejected, the deal would not have been signed.
It helps to recognize what the deal is – and what it isn't. The agreement was for a ceasefire and an exchange of hostages for prisoners. It is not a peace agreement, or even the start of a peace process. The next phase of the Trump 20-point plan requires an agreement filling in the gaps of the framework which declares that the Gaza Strip will be demilitarized, secured, and governed by a committee including Palestinians. It will report to a Board of Peace chaired by President Trump. Significant work needs to be done on the detail needed to make that happen.
The Gaza agreement is not a route map to peace in the Middle East, the ultimate and so far, unreachable destination. Just as seriously, there is no evidence of the political will necessary to make a real peace deal. Most wars end with exhausted belligerents making some kind of agreement. The war in Gaza has become one of those, if as Trump has declared, it really is over.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) still occupy 53% of the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday, its soldiers killed Palestinians who they said were approaching their forces. Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza reported that seven people were killed in two incidents. The situation remains volatile as ceasefires tend to be violated in their early stages. Potential contributors to an international stabilization force will not deploy if the ceasefire lacks solidity. Hamas, while hinting at giving up some heavy weapons, holds an ideological stance against disarmament.
If Trump believes the road to lasting peace is completed, he may need to reassess; achieving peace in the Middle East requires tremendous dedication, compromise, and time. As the aftermath unfolds and the delicate ceasefire battles with inherent tensions, the next steps in Gaza could define the region's future.
'All I've done all my life is deals. The greatest deals just sort of happen… That's what happened right here. And maybe this is going to be the greatest deal of them all,' he said.
Observers might also have had the impression from the speeches that the job is done. It is not. Without question, Trump can claim credit for the ceasefire and hostage exchange deal. Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt used their leverage with Hamas to force it to accept. That made it a joint effort, but Trump's role was decisive. Without his push to demand Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's agreement to terms that he had previously rejected, the deal would not have been signed.
It helps to recognize what the deal is – and what it isn't. The agreement was for a ceasefire and an exchange of hostages for prisoners. It is not a peace agreement, or even the start of a peace process. The next phase of the Trump 20-point plan requires an agreement filling in the gaps of the framework which declares that the Gaza Strip will be demilitarized, secured, and governed by a committee including Palestinians. It will report to a Board of Peace chaired by President Trump. Significant work needs to be done on the detail needed to make that happen.
The Gaza agreement is not a route map to peace in the Middle East, the ultimate and so far, unreachable destination. Just as seriously, there is no evidence of the political will necessary to make a real peace deal. Most wars end with exhausted belligerents making some kind of agreement. The war in Gaza has become one of those, if as Trump has declared, it really is over.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) still occupy 53% of the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday, its soldiers killed Palestinians who they said were approaching their forces. Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza reported that seven people were killed in two incidents. The situation remains volatile as ceasefires tend to be violated in their early stages. Potential contributors to an international stabilization force will not deploy if the ceasefire lacks solidity. Hamas, while hinting at giving up some heavy weapons, holds an ideological stance against disarmament.
If Trump believes the road to lasting peace is completed, he may need to reassess; achieving peace in the Middle East requires tremendous dedication, compromise, and time. As the aftermath unfolds and the delicate ceasefire battles with inherent tensions, the next steps in Gaza could define the region's future.
