Trump’s Gaza peace plan faces a bigger threat than a pre-election clash with Netanyahu – opinion

The article discusses the strategic calculations in Washington regarding President Trump's Gaza peace plan and the upcoming Israeli elections. It suggests that a public confrontation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the elections would be counterproductive, as Netanyahu could use it to bolster his campaign. Therefore, the full implementation of the 15-point Gaza roadmap, which includes demilitarization of Hamas, Israeli withdrawal, and an International Stabilization Force, is being postponed until after the Israeli elections.

The 15-point plan is extremely important. It provides for a phased process leading to the demilitarization of Hamas and other armed groups under the principle of “One Authority, One Weapon, One Law”.

However, the author warns against allowing Netanyahu and his coalition partners to create irreversible facts on the ground in the West Bank, which could jeopardize the possibility of Palestinian statehood. The article proposes that Trump should privately warn Netanyahu against actions like forced displacement of Palestinian communities or annexation, and increase U.S. presence in threatened Palestinian communities. It also emphasizes that delaying the Gaza roadmap's full implementation should not mean freezing it, and preparations should continue behind the scenes.