Trump-Netanyahu meeting: Observers sceptical yet hope for end to Gaza war
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting the United States on Monday, a visit analysts expect will focus on celebrating Israel and the US’s self-anointed victory against Iran and discussing a proposal for a ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza.
This is the third time this year Netanyahu will be meeting US President Donald Trump, who claims the US and Israel “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme during a 12-day war and that he would resume bombing Iran if it restarts nuclear activities.Last week, Trump said Israel had agreed to conditions for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, which would allow all parties to work towards an end to Israel’s 21-month-long war on the besieged enclave.
On July 4, Hamas gave a “positive” response to Qatari and Egyptian mediators about the latest ceasefire proposal.Is a ceasefire realistic?
On Friday, after Hamas’s response to the proposal, Trump said there could be a “deal next week” and promised to be “very firm” with Netanyahu to ensure a ceasefire.
Israel has since said that Hamas has requested changes to the proposal that it found “unacceptable”, but that Israeli negotiators would be going to Qatar on Sunday to discuss the proposal.Many experts told Al Jazeera that they are not optimistic a temporary ceasefire will lead to a permanent end to the war.
“The way [the ceasefire talks] are being framed leaves me sceptical,” said Omar Rahman, an expert on Israel-Palestine with the Middle East Council for Global Affairs.
Rahman added that he believes Trump was focused on getting the Israeli captives released, but not on ending the war and the suffering of the people of Gaza.
Trump previously promised an end to the war after pushing for a ceasefire just days before he became president in January.
However, two months later, Trump did nothing when Israel unilaterally resumed its attacks on Gaza, killing thousands more people.
Mairav Zonszein, an expert on Israel-Palestine for the International Crisis Group, said that could happen again.
