Trump's Diplomatic Maneuver: Breaking Ground on Gaza Peace Where Biden Fumbled
At the time, Israel's air strike against the Hamas negotiating team in Qatar seemed like yet another escalation that pushed the prospect of peace further away. The attack on September 9 violated the sovereignty of an American ally and risked expanding the conflict into a region-wide war. Diplomacy appeared to be in ruins.
Instead, it turned out to be a key moment that has led to a deal, announced by President Donald Trump, to release all remaining hostages. This is a goal that he, and President Joe Biden before him, had sought for nearly two years. It is just the first step towards a more durable peace, and the details of Hamas disarmament, Gaza governance and full Israeli withdrawal remain to be negotiated. But if this agreement holds, it could be Trump's signature achievement of his second term - one that eluded Biden and his diplomatic team.
Trump's unique style and crucial relationships with Israel and the Arab world appear to have contributed to this breakthrough. But, as with most diplomatic achievements, there were also factors at play beyond the control of either man.
A Close Relationship That Biden Never Had
In public, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are all smiles. Trump likes to say that Israel has no better friend, and Netanyahu has described Trump as Israel's greatest ever ally in the White House. These warm words have been matched by actions.
During his first presidential term, Trump moved the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and abandoned a long-held US position that Israeli settlements in the Palestinian West Bank are illegal, the position under international law. When Israel began its air strikes against Iran in June, Trump ordered US bombers to target the nation's nuclear enrichment facilities with its most powerful conventional bombs.
Those public demonstrations of support may have given Trump the room to exert more pressure on Israel behind the scenes. According to reports, Trump's negotiator, Steve Witkoff, browbeat Netanyahu in late 2024 into accepting a temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of some hostages. Trump exhibited a degree of will and pressure on an Israeli prime minister that is virtually unprecedented.
Business History Helped Secure Gulf's Backing
The Israeli missile attack in Doha, which killed a Qatari citizen but no Hamas officials, prompted Trump to issue an ultimatum to Netanyahu. The war had to stop. Trump had given Israel a relatively free hand in Gaza, but an attack on Qatari soil was a different matter entirely.
His close ties with the Gulf states are well documented. He has business dealings with Qatar and the UAE, and began both his presidential terms with state visits to Saudi Arabia. This year, he also stopped in Doha and Abu Dhabi, where he heard repeated calls to bring an end to the war.
Europeans Exert Their Influence
The global condemnation of Israel over its actions in Gaza also weighed on Trump's thinking. Conditions on the ground were unprecedented in terms of destruction and the humanitarian catastrophe for Palestinians, leading to increasing isolation of the Netanyahu government internationally.
Trump was faced with a European-Arab alliance versus Israeli nationalists and the far right, and he chose his friends in the Gulf. Under a French-Saudi peace plan, Arab countries issued an unprecedented condemnation of Hamas' October 7 attacks, calling for the group to end its rule on Gaza.
Trump's Unique Style Unlocked Stalemate
Trump's unorthodox manner still has the capacity to shock. It has been messy, but at least in this case and at this moment, it has proven effective. Tomorrow, the Nobel Committee will announce this year's Peace Prize winner. While it is unlikely that Trump will be the recipient, that prospect doesn't seem nearly as unlikely as it did just a few weeks ago.
