When Israel announced on October 4 it was ready to "immediately implement" phase one of President Trump's 20-point Gaza plan, many eyebrows raised. Behind the White House photo-op, this blueprint looked more like a well-staged play than a path to peace. 🎭
In private, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had pitched a different deal with Arab leaders. Yet the public version was heavily edited – and not in ways that favored a fair compromise. Pakistan's FM Ishaq Dar pointed out that Arab allies were shown one draft, only to see another take center stage in Washington. Their absence spoke volumes. 📜
At its heart, the so-called "peace plan" asks Hamas to drop weapons, give up power, and meet sweeping Israeli demands. In return? No guaranteed rights, no real path to self-rule, and no end to occupation. It's a deal that looks more like surrender, wrapped up in diplomatic language. 🕊️🚫
Without addressing Israel's military occupation or Palestinian self-determination, the plan feels like a band-aid on a bullet wound. Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll in Gaza remains dire: UNICEF reports an average of 28 children killed each day since the conflict began two years ago. 😔
And despite the rhetoric, key voices make it clear that a Palestinian state was never on the table. As former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren told CNN, the plan offers only a "pathway" to discuss statehood – if at all. Trump himself acknowledged Netanyahu's opposition to a Palestinian state. 🎯
In the end, this so-called peace plan may help Israel advance its military aims with a cleaner image, but peace needs more than optics. It needs justice, rights, and a real chance for both sides to build a shared future. 🌍✌️
Reference(s):
Trump's Gaza 'peace plan': A hostage deal masquerading as diplomacy
cgtn.com
