COULD TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN BE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE GAZA TUNNEL?

Trump’s 20-point proposal offers hope for Gaza, but hurdles remain on both sides.

- JOHN DOBSON

U.S. President Donald Trump with Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a rambling speech at the United Nations General Assembly last month, lasting for more than an hour instead of the allocated 15 minutes, Donald Trump claimed something extraordinary.

Not known for underselling his achievements, real or imaginary, he said: “In a period of just seven months, I have ended seven unendable wars......in all cases they were raging with countless thousands of people being killed. Everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize for each one of these achievements.” While six of Trump's claims fail to survive when tested against reality, the final one he boasted about - the Gaza Peace Plan - just might.

Standing alongside Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House a week later, in a self-congratulatory speech Trump proclaimed the advent of “eternal peace in the Middle East”. It was a “big, big day”, he declared, a “historic day”, perhaps even “one of the great days even in civilisation”. He was echoing his words “an incredible diplomatic success” used back in 2019 when he claimed to have persuaded Turkey to pause its military operations in Northern Syria. This ceasefire failed, and many observers fear that history will be repeated in Gaza.