Trump Meets Netanyahu, Offering Yet Another Peace Plan He Will Veto

Tomorrow, Bibi Netanyahu will meet Pres. Trump in the Oval Office for his fourth visit in this term alone (he had many visits during his first term).  No international leader has received such an honor, including our most important European allies. At this meeting, Trump will present the 21-point ‘peace plan’ devised by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.  The plan is written by the US and for Israel.  It only tangentially addresses the Palestinians, in that they will be expected to adhere to the plan without have any say regarding its provisions.

These are its main provisions:

• Cessation of military operations, “battle lines” frozen in place and release within 48 hours of all 20 living hostages and the remains of the two dozen dead.

• Hamas weaponry would be destroyed. Those who “commit to peaceful co-existence” would be offered amnesty. Safe passage to other countries would be facilitated for Hamas members who choose to leave.

• No Gazans would be compelled to leave. Anyone who leaves would be entitled to return

• Full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip … including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, [and] entry of equipment to remove rubble and open roads.”

• Entry and distribution of aid …interference from the two parties through the UN and its agencies

• Temporary “transitional governance” of  “qualified Palestinians and international experts” would run day to day public services. It would be “supervised” by a “new international body” established by the US in consultation with others

• US “will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force oversee security in Gaza” while a Palestinian force is trained.

• IDF will “hand over the Gaza territory they occupy” and eventually completely withdraw

• Israel will launch no further attacks on Qatar

• Once the development and political reforms are carried out, “conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian Statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.”

• United States “will establish a dialogue between Israel and Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence

Those last ones are a doozy. They were clearly inserted by Witkoff to mollify Arab states, which have offered a fuzzy public commitment to creation of a Palestinian state.  Certainly no one, Arab or otherwise believes this statement is a credible commitment to anything, let alone a Palestinian state. A “pathway to Palestinian statehood” means nothing and guarantees nothing. It is a cruel hoax on Palestinian aspirations.

If anyone can tell me what a “political horizon” means, it would be the equivalent of solving Fermat’s Theorem (yes, I know it’s been solved).  Further, “peaceful and prosperous co-existence” cannot happen unless Palestinian interests are respected and implemented. Under this proposal they cannot be.  Nor does Trump, Witkoff or Blair intend them to be.  They expect a vanquished Palestinian people to acquiesce to this pre-packaged proposal.

Rarely–and perhaps never–in the history of the world has an oppressed, colonized people accepted the fiat of the colonial power.  Many times the latter have attempted to impose their will. Many times they have failed.  Perhaps not  immediately. But over time, the oppressed topple the oppressor and obtain their rights.

Let me state this as clearly as I can: any such agreement that papers over this issue is DOA.  It will not solve the problem; it will not end the conflict; it merely draws it out and kicks the can down the road for another party to deal with.

Regarding other points above, Israel will never permit reconstruction of Gaza. After previous invasions during which it destroyed massive infrastructure and housing stock, it prohibited the import of any building materials, claiming they would be used to build tunnels.

The “new international body” under the leadership of the widely detested Tony Blair is a recipe for failure.  He is a handsomely paid caudillo representing US, western and Israeli interests.  He has no interest in representing Palestinian interests, all of which guarantees futility.

Israel will never stop interfering with distribution of aid. It has done so for decades during the many years of siege it enforced. Nor will it ever agree to “hand over Gaza territory it occupies.”  To do so would immediately topple Netanyahu’s government, which is propped up by Judeo-Nazi ministers whose ideology demands full and perpetual occupation and annexation of Gaza.

Bibi will dither, Trump will wither

The upshot of all this is–at tomorrow’s White House meeting Netanyahu will hem and haw and stall.  He’s already leaked his reservations about the US plan.  He will leave without any agreement. When he returns home, he will find something to quibble about. He will claim Hamas has not accepted the deal and therefore he is not bound by it either. Trump’s attention span will waver. He will move on to other “shithole countries” he can ruin.  Eventually the proposal will die a slow, labored death, as have all previous attempts.

This has been Bibi’s modus operandi for decades.  He is a creature of habit. What has worked in the past will work now, he believes. He is right, because he knows that no one will stand up to him and tell him otherwise. Bullies bully. They don’t know any other way.  The only way to stop them is to get in their face and force them to stand down.  No one has ever done that to Netanyahu.  Perhaps they never will.

Arab “amendments” to peace plan

The Arab states, who purportedly responded favorably at the roll-out of the original plan, apparently have had some second thoughts.  They’ve attached their own conditions.  They include:

• A technocratic Palestinian administration of the enclave with the Palestinian Authority playing a role.
• Hamas would lay down its weapons, but not fully disarm.
• Gaza’s administration would remain Palestinian, under international supervision.

Israel will never accept the PA playing any role in governance of Gaza–either during the transition period or after.  Nor will it accept any arms remaining in Hamas’ hands.  It will likely not accept any of its members remaining inside Gaza. Once any Palestinian leaves, especially one affiliated with Hamas, Israel will never permit them to return, just as it did after the Nakba.  This, in turn, no one in Hamas will accept.  They will never leave Gaza. Never go into exile and sever their bond to their land.  If Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump think this is possible they know nothing about either Hamas or Palestinians (which has long been clear).

This leaves you with an ultimate standoff.  Israel has its demands which Hamas will refuse.  Hamas and Arab states have their interests, which Israel will reject.  Leaving Witkoff and Trump holding the ball and able to do nothing to bridge the differences.  Trump’s teasing of a breakthrough agreement is another one of this carny tricks.  Promise everything and deliver nothing.  Bluff your way through life and politics.  Leave the American people, Palestinians, and Israeli hostages, holding the bag.