Washington: President Donald Trump appeared at the White House standing next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who unveiled a 20-point plan to resolve the nearly two-year war in Gaza. Trump described the plan as a roadmap of peace. It entails a temporary truce, hostage release, governance alterations, and a step to Palestinian statehood- matters that already divided the Israeli political leaders. It is a great day of peace, Trump said, thanking Netanyahu to support the plan and Arab states to cooperate with Washington.The plan was announced by the White House on Monday, the day before Netanyahu was making his fourth visit to Washington this year.
The proposal is the most concerted attempt by the U.S. to end the conflict in Gaza so far, with help in its creation by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and the acceptance of the proposal by multiple Arab and Islamic countries.
Core Elements of the Plan
The 20-point plan of Trump is aimed at rebuilding Gaza, disarmament, and providing the region with self-government in an international framework eventually. It requires rapid exchange of hostages and prisoners, disarmament or exile of Hamas fighters, and the introduction of a U.S. led International Stabilization Force with Arab partners to stabilize the region in the withdrawal of Israel. The government would change to a Gaza International Transitional Authority, allegedly led by Tony Blair, until the Palestinian Authority is able to assume control. The plan also guarantees continuous humanitarian aid and a multibillion dollar economic recovery initiative and provides a future roadmap to Palestinian statehood- a measure both historic and controversial.
Regional and International Endorsements
The proposal has already gained the solid support of Arab, Islamic and Western capitals. The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt praised the U.S. initiative in a joint communiqué declaring it as a significant move towards sustainable peace. They have underlined the necessity to make reconstruction, avoiding displacement, and ensuring a two-state solution. The Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif called the plan a major initiative to end the Gaza war and repeated the position of Islamabad that there would be a two-state resolution. Trump credited Sharif and the Army Chief of Pakistan, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, with their 100 percent approval publicly. While assessing Pakistan’s possible response, Dr. Rabia, speaking to one of our correspondents, stated:
‘Pakistan should welcome the plan’s immediate humanitarian relief for Palestinians, while stressing that its support remains conditional on the two-state framework.
Pakistan must also ensure that relief is tied to independent monitoring and accountability, so the deal does not slip into a managed occupation, She added.
French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister re-iterated the support and pointed out that the peace process has to continue on the principle of a two-state solution. The plan was also backed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said it was a viable way to achieve long-term stability in West Asia. President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised Trump over his decisive leadership and reiterated that Ankara is an effective partner in the region.
Israeli Political Divide
Israeli Political Divide Netanyahu, who appeared together with Trump, claimed that the plan is aligned with the goals of war that Israel has: It will free our hostages, destroy the military of Hamas, overthrow its rule and ensure that Gaza will never threaten Israel once again, he added. But the coalition did not last long. The argument by far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir was that the plan implicitly leads to a Palestinian state. They further threatened to overthrow the coalition in case Netanyahu pushed it through. Smotrich said that these proposals weaken Israeli security, and Ben-Gvir accused Netanyahu of being in no position to complete the war without removing Hamas completely. Nevertheless, the leader of the opposition Yair Lapid provided Netanyahu with a safety net. He indicated that he would back the arrangement in parliament provided that the far-right allies dropped out.
Hamas’s Response
Though the offer has not yet been officially presented to Hamas through the mediators in Qatar and Egypt, its negotiator has indicated that it is ready to consider any serious cease fire framework. Nevertheless, Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, threatened that the humanitarian cost is escalating as Israel increased both its ground and air attacks in Gaza City. It has been reported that Hamas may be unwilling to accept terms of disarmament and non-participation in the government but solutions like exile or amnesty can provide a way out.
A Balancing Act for All Sides
The strategy aims to reconcile Israeli security with Hamas resistance, address Arab demands for humanitarian aid, and meet international calls for a two-state solution.
There are still difficulties in implementation. Netanyahu is dealt with a shaky coalition, Hamas might fight against disarmament, and the transition government under Tony Blair might not find legitimacy with the Palestinians. Trump, nonetheless, is characteristically confident. It is the settlement that will lead to everlasting and enduring peace, he proclaimed, and that greatness in the Middle East is no longer a far-fetched dream. It is yet to be determined whether the political will on all sides can meet his optimism. In the meantime, the 20-point plan announced by Trump has revived the diplomatic impetus and the controversy about the future of Gaza and the likelihood of Palestinian statehood.
