Trump imposes the agreement, catching some off guard
It is no surprise to anyone that the Israeli-Palestinian problem is complex and convoluted, nor that the hatred ingrained in the souls of both sides will dissipate overnight, and even less so that the mere fulfilment of the first part of President Donald Trump's 20-point plan will bring about a definitive solution in a few months. But, except for the most fanatical minds and souls, no one can deny that somewhere a start had to be made, and the only leader in the world capable of imposing an agreement in principle, with its accompanying roadmap, was none other than the current occupant of the White House.
Trump's blunt, brutal and often humiliating language does not make him particularly attractive in the eyes of anyone who has to negotiate with him. Those who did not know this and even resisted accepting his ways will have had the opportunity to see that what makes him an effective leader is that he actually delivers on his promises, with his motto of doing what is best for his country's interests, which in many cases also seem to converge with his own. He is aware of his power, he is not intimidated, and he has used it to bring a glimmer of hope to the hellish map of the Middle East.
His support for Israel has been unwavering, which has enabled him to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the long and enormous massacre with which he was avenging the no less tragic terrorist offensive of 7 October 2023, the greatest pogrom suffered by the Jewish people since the Holocaust. He has also put Hamas between the sword of accepting its demise amid ‘hell unleashed’ and the wall of ceasing to set itself up as the ruler of the Gazan people's destiny under the relentless supervision of Iran's theocratic regime.
As the driving force behind a new policy of strength, Trump has brought Egypt, Turkey and Qatar into the negotiations, praising them for being the ultimate Arab architects of the agreement. Previously, he had obtained the consent of most of the Arab world, whose leaders he brought together on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly. Everyone, then, will have their share of glory, ceded by a Trump who reserves for himself the universal acclaim of a Nobel Peace Prize.
Let us not fool ourselves, peace is still a long way off, and the desire for such peace to be forever is nothing more than wishful thinking, which will require a colossal effort on the part of those who have to negotiate it. But we are at a crucial turning point that short-circuits the terrible course of this war, which has lasted more than two years, the longest fought by Israel in its nearly eight decades of existence. This achievement has taken Trump's opponents in his own country, namely the Democratic Party, by surprise. None of the living former presidents from that party have expressed their sympathy for the agreement. Neither Bill Clinton, Barack Obama nor Joe Biden have shown solidarity with their successor's achievement.
And Europe? Well, desperately trying to make itself visible, which, apart from a few images, such as that of the urgent meeting called in Paris by Emmanuel Macron, was all the more pathetic given that the French president is seeking to compensate for his inability to resolve his own serious internal problems with these diminished international summits. The Israelis directly blame the French president for leading the diplomatic offensive and demonstrations against Israel in favour of recognising the Palestinian state. This action is defended by the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, who consequently attributes to himself ‘a key role’ in the agreement now reached.
Israel has not minced its words in proclaiming the delicate situation of the French president, considering Spain's presence at such a meeting, convened to try to help ‘when its hostility towards Israel is manifest’, to be ‘outrageous’. Striking statements such as those made by Vice-President Yolanda Diaz and President Pedro Sánchez himself against Israel, or the fuss made over the vote in the Congress of Deputies on an arms embargo, in addition to the support with a warship for the flotilla's cruise in the Mediterranean, with return plane tickets paid for by all taxpayers, has meant that the government has eliminated Spain as a possible mediator or facilitator of agreements between the parties in conflict. The harsh reality is that Europe has been left out of the negotiations, however much it wants to appear influential. And Spain, due to the behaviour of its government, is particularly singled out by both Israel and the United States.
The various distancing manoeuvres carried out by the current Spanish government with regard to both the European Union and the United States will not be easy to reverse, but there is no doubt that, in the best-case scenario, they will take a long time, and its citizens, that is, all of us, will suffer the consequences for a long time to come, until a situation that is clearly seriously deteriorated returns to normal.