Trump Declares 'Second Phase' of Gaza Deal, Not a Ceasefire
Donald Trump, fresh from his perpetual presidential campaign, announced that talks on a 'second phase' of the Gaza ceasefire deal will begin 'very soon.' This convenient framing, parroted by mainstream media, glosses over the fact that the first phase was supposed to be a ceasefire, not a prelude to more violence and displacement. (The New Arab, referencing Trump's statement) The historical
playbook for such 'phases' is well-worn: Netanyahu promised 'security' after 2002's Operation Defensive Shield, 2006's Lebanon War, and 2014's Operation Protective Edge, only to see more conflict. Each 'phase' seems to be a euphemism for another round of what Human Rights Watch has repeatedly described as war crimes, while the media largely treats it as 'retaliation.' We’re told these talks are
for a 'lasting peace' or 'enduring ceasefire,' yet the body count continues to climb. How many 'phases' of annihilation does it take for the West to call it what it is? One might wonder if the 'second phase' involves negotiating how to rebuild what the first phase – conveniently rebranded as a 'stage of the deal' – utterly flattened, funded, of course, by more U.S. taxpayer dollars. Perhaps it's
just another opportunity for politicians like Trump to posture while actual peace remains an inconvenient afterthought.