President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the Gaza war has not only won support from Israel, but also from the Arab and Muslim world — and from the Palestinian Authority, which has opposed his plans in the past.
The 20-point plan, as Breitbart News has noted, would fulfill Israel’s goals of freeing the remaining hostages, as well as disarming Hamas and removing it from power. It also offers the prospect of a Palestinian state — if Hamas complies with the plan and the Palestinian Authority agrees to sweeping reforms of its policies and anti-Israel culture.
If Hamas does not agree, the plan allows Israel to continue fighting the terror group.
Trump canvassed for support for the plan among Arab and Muslim nations on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York last week. The plan includes key Arab demands, such as the inclusion of the Palestinian Authority in the future governance of Gaza (together with other Arab states). It also prevents Israel from annexing Gaza, and does not mention Judea and Samaria (the West Bank).
The Times of Israel noted: “Shortly after the press conference [by Trump and Netanyahu at the White House on Monday], the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt issued a joint statement welcoming Trump’s efforts and pledging to engage with the US to advance the implementation of the Gaza peace plan.”
Al Jazeera noted that the Palestinian Authority — which has been making commitments to reform in a bid to win backing for statehood — also welcomed Trump’s plan.
The Palestinian Authority was notable in its rejection of Trump’s peace plan for the Middle East in 2020. It was left behind by the Abraham Accords that resulted from the plan, and it appears to have learned its lesson.
Turkey, which has been hostile towards Israel in recent years, also voiced support for Trump’s Gaza plan.
While Hamas is still studying the plan and has not yet responded, except to say that it rejects the idea of disarming, it now finds itself almost completely alone. If it rejects the plan, it will have little regional support.
There is the possibility that Trump’s plan could kick off a renewal and expansion of the Abraham Accords, and spur investment in the region — which includes the potential development of Gaza into a Dubai-like hub.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Zionist Conspiracy Wants You, now available on Amazon. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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