Zionist sources confirm Trump's envoy to Middle East pressured Netanyahu
Date
1/19/2025 6:55:47 AM
(MENAFN) Zionist sources have confirmed that Stephen Whitkoff, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange in Gaza. In return, trump promised significant "gifts" for the Zionist entity, including strong support for Israel’s future military actions, settlement expansions in the West Bank, and the reversal of policies enacted by outgoing President Joe Biden, such as sanctions on "terrorist" settlers and the blacklisting of the Pegasus spyware. Trump also reportedly plans to challenge international legal bodies, like the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, to prevent any arrest warrants against Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, or other Israeli officials accused of war crimes.
Zionist analysts suggest that these "gifts" and promises are part of the pressure Trump is exerting on Israel, which may face difficulties in the coming years as it becomes clear that Israel is not always in control of key regional issues, especially when international pressure, particularly from the U.S., is applied. Ronen Bergman, a journalist and security analyst, reviewed the so-called "gift package" tied to the ceasefire agreement. He believes it is designed to reassure Netanyahu's coalition partners, particularly the right-wing settler bloc, by promising U.S. support for settlement expansions in exchange for accepting the ceasefire. Bergman points out that the far-right political parties in Israel, such as the "Religious Zionism" alliance, would likely see approval from the U.S. for major settlement projects in the West Bank as part of the ceasefire deal, paving the way for partial annexation of the West Bank.
Amit Siegel, a political reporter for Israel's Channel 12, questions what Trump’s support will mean if the conflict resumes, especially as Trump claims he will "end wars, not start them." He notes that despite promises to resume fighting, Trump appears to be focusing on continuing normalization efforts in the Middle East based on the Abraham Accords, particularly aiming to include Saudi Arabia, which he believes is not possible if the region remains embroiled in conflict. Tal Schneader, a political correspondent for Zaman Yisrael, suggests that the growing cooperation between the Biden and Trump administrations reflects a crisis of leadership in Israel, indicating a lack of a clear path forward for the occupation.
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