One noticeable element of Monday’s grandiose unveiling of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan to end the war in Gaza and return the hostages was the accolades he showered on the leaders of the Arab and Muslim countries, whom he said were signed on to the plan.
Saudi Arabia’s King Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud? A phenomenal person.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan? A strong man but a good man.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto? An amazing leader.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi? Terrific.
And Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani? A really great, great person.
Much of it was Trump’s usual bluster and lack of articulateness, but beyond the superlatives was the realization that the president desperately needs these leaders if the far-reaching goals and the “Board of Peace” that he announced to the world with great flourish, and no lack of humility, are going to have any chance to succeed.
Anyone watching the spectacle on Monday, which Trump called one of the greatest days in civilization, would naturally ask, “Isn’t it premature to announce such an ambitious program if all sides haven’t already agreed to it?”
Using a wedding analogy, there was a willing, if slightly reticent, bride at the huppah (wedding canopy), Israel, whose prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, embraced the plan with measured caution. There were the beaming parents of the bride, the US. And there were, while physically absent, the parents of the groom from all the aforementioned countries, who were signed on in earnest to the plan, according to Trump.
But the groom, Hamas, the one party upon which the whole carefully crafted plan was dependent, was missing. And as we all know, you can’t have a wedding without a groom.
That’s apparently why Trump decided to go public with the plan and puff up the egos of all the partners, who, he assured the world on Monday, would be able to guarantee its success. If anyone can convince Hamas that the game is up, the jig is over, and that if it doesn’t accept the plan, which calls for the terror group’s disarmament and exclusion from governing, it will be left out to dry without any allies, it is those countries.
It’s also the reason why so much attention was given to the phone call brokered by Trump between Netanyahu and Al Thani, which, while not verbalized as an apology for Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders in Doha, was in effect just that.
Qatar's role in ceasefire negotiations
Qatar, as it has been since negotiations began for the release of hostages back in 2023, remains the linchpin. It has Hamas’s ears and houses its leadership. Now is the time for Doha to present Hamas with a fait accompli. Accept the deal that Trump has laid out, or you stand alone.
It means a massive change in mindset in the Arab world: They must no longer see Hamas as a legitimate political force but as an outlier that must be further removed from any power and defanged so as to prevent any resurgence.
Trump’s effusive praise of Al Thani, MBS, and the rest of the Muslim leaders was a signal that he’s depending on them to accept that concept and transmit the message to the terror group.
Hamas has reportedly received the Trump proposal and is holding a series of consultations. If the past is any indication, as initial reactions have hinted, the terrorists will have many reservations and will say ‘yes, but’ and demand changes.
The parties involved must clearly state that this is a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. And, as Netanyahu said on Monday with Trump’s backing, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” If Hamas hesitates or rejects the plan, Israel will have free rein to finish the job in Gaza.
The plan unveiled by Trump and embraced by Jerusalem on Monday could indeed signify a new dawn for the Middle East, one of peace, prosperity, and security for all the peoples of the region.
It all depends on whether all the parties involved are willing to exert the maximum pressure on Hamas to step down and allow that vision to take shape.
Trump has put the task squarely in their hands. The coming days will reveal whether they’re up for the challenge. The lives of the hostages and the future of Gaza depend on it.