U.S. to Mediate Gaza Peace… by Ignoring Israel's War Aims?
The White House, via envoy Steve Witkoff, is convening Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey to strong-arm Israel and Hamas into upholding a 'peace deal.' Axios frames this as both parties 'slow-walking' the agreement. Conveniently absent is the fact that Netanyahu's government has repeatedly – for decades – rejected any 'deal' that doesn't consolidate Israeli control while dispossessing Palestinians, as seen
in the 2014 Gaza war aftermath and continuous settlement expansion. The report's stipulation that Hamas 'needs to agree to leave power in Gaza' while Israel merely 'needs to reopen the Rafah crossing' highlights the asymmetrical demands that routinely doom these 'agreements.' This 'highest-level meeting' conveniently overlooks the deep-seated historical pattern of Israel agreeing to peace on terms
that ensure its ongoing annexations, while the U.S. provides the diplomatic cover and military aid. (Recall the $14.5 billion additional aid packaged passed by Congress in 2023, following Netanyahu's March visit that secured bipartisan support.) How many U.S.-brokered 'peace deals' must collapse before the media stops presenting Israeli and Palestinian actions as morally equivalent 'slow-walking'?