The release of 20 living hostages from Hamas hell was a signal achievement, and both Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu deserve credit. The war with Hamas ended on the terms Netanyahu had insisted upon — the full release of all hostages, a continued Israeli military presence in Gaza, and the disarmament of Hamas.
Of course, little beyond Hamas’s release of its hostages and Israel’s release of 250 terrorists and murderers, plus 1750 more Gazans arrested during the course of the war, is likely to happen. The Trump plan is less a “plan” and more a statement of principles. The how, theoretically discussed at yesterday’s Sharm al Sheikh summit, will likely be elusive. If America doesn’t do everything, the odds that the Arabs or the Europeans will do anything meaningful is close to nothing.
Elise and I cover that, and more. Watch, and let us know what you think. Tomorrow, I’ve got a video and archival cache to share that will underscore just how little has changed in the Middle East. And how the slim the prospects are that anything will change anytime soon.
