We must persuade Trump to do the right thing – securing peace in the Middle East – for the wrong reasonDonald Trump’s instinctive deference to the Israeli government is at odds with his self-image as an expert dealmaker. Much as it may seem laughable that the president wants the Nobel peace prize, his quest may be the best chance we have for securing any US government regard for the rights and lives of Palestinians in Gaza.Trump currently seems to endorse the strategy of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of trying to pummel Hamas into accepting defeat. To force Hamas to release its remaining hostages and to disband its diminished military force, Netanyahu has resumed Israel’s strategy of starving and bombing Palestinian civilians. In less than a week, about 600 Palestinians have already been killed. Continue reading...
Kenneth Roth argues that Donald Trump's desire for a Nobel Peace Prize could be leveraged to secure peace in the Middle East and protect Palestinian rights in Gaza. Roth suggests Trump's deference to the Israeli government and support for Netanyahu's strategy of pressuring Hamas are counterproductive, and a negotiated solution, prioritizing the release of hostages and a permanent ceasefire, is needed.