As Trump seeks to be a peacemaker, Netanyahu leaves Washington without breakthrough on Gaza deal
WASHINGTON AP Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s trip to Washington this week netted President Donald Trump another nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize he covets but the ceasefire the U S leader sought for the war in Gaza didn t emerge Despite Trump throwing his weight behind a push for a -day truce between Israel and Hamas no breakthrough was disclosed during Netanyahu s visit a disappointment for a president who wants to be known as a peacemaker and has hinged his reputation on being a dealmaker He prides himself or being able to make deals so this is another test episode noted Rachel Brandenburg the Israel Approach Forum s Washington managing director and senior fellow Trump s ability to strike a ceasefire deal in the -month war will reveal the boundaries of his influence with Netanyahu especially after their fresh joint strikes on Iran s nuclear facilities that both leaders touted at the White House this week Beyond the back-to-back meetings Trump and Netanyahu had at the White House this week there was little masses evidence of progress at a time when the Republican U S president is pushing to end the fighting Closer than we ve been but challenges remain Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned Thursday that when it comes to a ceasefire in Gaza we re closer than we ve been in quite a while and we re hopeful but we also recognize there s still selected challenges in the way Rubio who spoke to reporters while traveling in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia also noted that Trump wants to see a ceasefire and we ve invested a lot of time and strength Beyond ending the bloodshed ending the war in Gaza would give Trump more leeway to strike particular of the broader agreements he seeks in the Middle East such as expanding the Abraham Accords that started in his first term and normalizing relations with Syria s new leadership He wants to be the one who gets hostages home and see the war in Gaza end so he can move on to chosen of these bigger deals Brandenburg stated Even if a truce is reached Netanyahu has promised fighting will continue if necessary until Hamas is destroyed The militant group meanwhile has conditioned the release of the remaining hostages on Israel s withdrawal from Gaza a stipulation Israel has been unwilling to accept Trump-Netanyahu relationship sees a rebound It s unclear how much pressure Trump put on Netanyahu in their private talks this week But the two leaders came into the visit seeming more aligned than ever at least for now fresh off the president having twice come to the Israeli leader s assistance Trump made the risky move to join Israel s attacks on Iran last month delivering pivotal U S firepower while alarming world leaders and a few of Trump s America first supporters Trump also inserted himself into Israel s domestic affairs calling for Netanyahu s yearslong corruption trial to be thrown out That s a marked turnaround in their relationship which had appeared somewhat strained in contemporary years Trump shocked chosen of his fellow Republicans and staunch supporters of Israel by publicly criticizing Netanyahu not long after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct setting off the conflict He explained that Netanyahu was not prepared for the attack from Hamas and that Netanyahu had let us down just before the U S killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Even during his last visit to the White House earlier this year Netanyahu seemed caught off guard when Trump informed the U S would hold talks with Iran over its nuclear deal rather than embrace Netanyahu s push for military pressure With their military objectives aligning for a time on Iran the Israeli leader has worked to foster a warmer relationship In a video he issued after the U S strikes Netanyahu spoke in English instead of Hebrew of the unshakeable alliance between their countries while repeatedly praising Trump His leadership at present has created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace Netanyahu mentioned Netanyahu tries the charm offensive on Trump In his visit to Washington this week the Israeli leader also evidenced he knows how to praise the president in a way that matters greatly to him when he unveiled a letter in front of reporters and cameras to announce he had nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize Those gestures though may only carry him so far as Trump pushes for a deal that Netanyahu may not be able to accept I think if Netanyahu stands in the way too much for too long of the sort of loftier objectives Trump has set out for himself Brandenburg explained Netanyahu will be cast aside as more of a predicament than an asset Netanyahu like a multitude of Israelis believes Trump is the greatest friend they have ever had in the White House and is deeply grateful for the U S strikes on Iran s nuclear sites last month Netanyahu faces competing pressures at home and abroad But the Israeli leader is also under mounting masses pressure to end the war as hostages languish in captivity and more Israeli soldiers are killed in guerrilla-style attacks Israel s military success against Iran has given him selected political capital but if he ends the war while leaving Hamas intact he will have broken his repeated promise of total conquest His far-right coalition partners have threatened to bolt if he does that sparking early elections that could end his nearly unbroken years in power and leave him more vulnerable to long-standing corruption charges That may prove too heavy a price for delivering the kind of lasting ceasefire sought by Trump and demanded by Hamas Instead Netanyahu who is seen as a masterful politician by friends and foes alike is expected to thread the needle In a video declaration on Thursday Netanyahu reported that he would agree to a temporary -day ceasefire in return for the release of half the hostages remaining in Gaza multiple of whom are concluded dead and that he would begin negotiations on ending the war But he conditioned any lasting ceasefire on Hamas giving up its arms something the militants have refused to do as long as Israel occupies parts of Gaza If Hamas can be disarmed through negotiations so much the better Netanyahu stated If it is not achieved through negotiations in days we will achieve it in other procedures by using force Krauss communicated from Ottawa Ontario Source
