Five key points from Donald Trump’s statements regarding Gaza in the Middle East | News of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Despite the carnage in Gaza, US President Donald Trump received a hero’s welcome around the world The Middle East During his visit to Israel and Egypt to celebrate the ceasefire agreement.

Trump speaks in the Israeli parliament The KnessetThis was before heading to Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, where he participated in the signing ceremony of the ceasefire agreement with regional and international leaders.

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Throughout the trip, Trump expressed joy and took personal credit for ending Israel’s war on Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 68,000 Palestinians in a campaign that leading human rights advocates have called genocide.

The US President made several sets of statements throughout the day, in which he affirmed his support for Israel, and stressed that the ceasefire in Gaza represents the beginning of a peaceful era in the region.

Here are the main points from Trump’s statements:

A new Middle East

It is not uncommon for US presidents to imagine this And promotion A “New Middle East” – a Middle East friendly to Washington and Israel, stable and ready for trade and investment.

On Monday, Trump became the latest US president to talk about a radical transformation in the region.

“This is the end of the era of terror and death and the beginning of the era of faith, hope and God,” Trump said.

“It is the beginning of great reconciliation and lasting harmony for Israel and all the countries in what will soon be a truly wonderful region. I believe that strongly. This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”

In his statements, Trump portrayed the agreement in Gaza as a comprehensive solution to the region’s issues.

But Palestinian human rights advocates have warned that there will be no lasting peace and stability if Israel continues to occupy and subjugate the Palestinians.

Israel continued to launch attacks throughout Lebanon and Syria, while continuing to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

While countries around the world have welcomed the end to two years of horrific atrocities in Gaza, it remains to be seen how the deal will impact the wider conflicts in the region.

Demanding a pardon for Netanyahu

Trump sang the praises Benjamin Netanyahu It tried to strengthen the Israeli Prime Minister, who faces accusations of corruption at home.

While Trump had previously called for legal cases against Netanyahu to be dropped, on Monday he publicly called on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon the prime minister, downplaying the accusations against him, which include receiving lavish gifts as a bribe.

“I have an idea: Mr. President, why don’t you pardon him?” Trump said as the Israeli parliament erupted in cheers. “Cigars and champagne – who the hell cares about that?”

Trump described Netanyahu as one of the greatest wartime leaders.

The US President said about the Israeli Prime Minister: “It is not easy.” “I want to tell you he’s not the easiest person to work with, but that’s what makes him great.”

Trump also recounted how Netanyahu would ask him for specific weapons.

The American President said: “We make the best weapons in the world, and we have a lot of them, and we have given a lot to Israel, frankly.”

“I mean Pepe was calling me a few times – can you get me that gun, that gun, that gun?” Some of them I’ve never heard of before.”

Israel has used American weapons to reduce most of the Gaza Strip to rubble and attack countries across the region. Washington submitted $21 billion to its ally in the Middle East over the past two years.

Acknowledgment of international pressure

Despite praising Netanyahu, Trump recognized that global public opinion was turning against Israel because of the horrific atrocities in Gaza.

Trump said: “The world is big and strong, and in the end the world wins.”

A number of Israel’s Western allies have recognized a Palestinian state in recent months, partly in response To horrors Israel was unleashing on Gaza.

The US President said that he congratulated Netanyahu on achieving “victory” instead of continuing the war indefinitely.

“If you would have continued for another three or four years — keep fighting, fighting, fighting — it was getting bad. It was getting hot,” he said.

“The timing of this is great. And I said: ‘Pepe, people will remember you for this a lot more than if you kept this thing going, keep going, keep going – kill, kill, kill.’

Trump indicated that Israel’s issues are now over. “The world loves Israel again,” he told the Knesset.

But human rights defenders vowed to keep up the pressure For accountability For genocide.

A passing message to the Palestinians

In his comments throughout Monday, Trump scored a proverbial victory. Focusing on what he said was a bright future for Israel and the region as a whole.

But he had a brief message for the Palestinians in his speech in the Knesset.

The US President called on the Palestinians in Gaza to focus on “stability, safety, dignity, and economic development.”

There was no acknowledgment of Israeli atrocities or the decades of displacement, dispossession and occupation that Israel has witnessed. International Court of Justice He says it amounts to apartheid.

“The choice before the Palestinians could not be clearer,” Trump said. “This is their chance to be transformed forever by terrorism and violence. It would be radical to deny the evil forces of hatred that live in their midst.”

He reiterated the claim that Palestinian grievances towards Israel are motivated by hatred, rather than by the material conditions imposed on them by Israel.

Trump said of the Palestinians: “After tremendous pain, death, and hardship, now is the time to focus on building up their people, instead of trying to tear down Israel.”

At no time did he recognize the right of the Palestinians to establish their state.

Mixed signals for Iran

Trump stressed once again that the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities eliminated the country’s nuclear program.

Him too He gave to Israel A pat on the back for killing Iran’s top military leaders and many of the country’s nuclear scientists.

Trump also noted that if Israel and the United States had not attacked Iran, the Gaza agreement would not have been reached.

He said that eliminating the Iranian nuclear program paves the way for more Arab countries to establish official diplomatic relations with Israel.

“We don’t have Gaza, we don’t have Iran as an excuse,” he said. “That was a good excuse, but we don’t have that anymore.” “All the momentum is now moving towards a great, glorious and lasting peace.”

But despite portraying Iran as defeated and weak, Trump kept the door open for talks with Tehran.

He added: “I think Iran will come.”

Israel attacked Iran in June, days before Iranian and American negotiators met for a round of talks in Amman.

“I would like to lift the sanctions when they are ready to talk,” Trump told reporters on Monday. “They cannot continue under these sanctions; these sanctions are too harsh.”