Hamas accepts peace plan: what comes next?
The Palestinian terrorist militia Hamas has accepted parts of US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to resolve the Gaza conflict. Initial talks are scheduled to begin in Egypt today, Monday. While Israel and the US expect an agreement to be reached soon, Hamas is keeping its cards close to its chest. Commentators assess the chances of peace in the Middle East.
Trump forcing Islamists to cooperate
Commentator Sebastian Engelbrecht praises the US president's resolute course on Deutschlandfunk:
“Donald Trump is a man of action. He has proven this many times. Now he is demonstrating this quality in foreign policy. ... When Hamas reacted by accepting only parts of the plan, Trump was not irritated by this half-heartedness but instead took the half-commitment as a whole. Trump is throwing the full weight of the United States into the balance, combined with the concentrated power of Arab states, and thus forcing the Islamists to cooperate. This pragmatism is what the Middle East needs now. Trump accepts no half-promises, no preconditions, no ideological reservations. He takes action.”
A clever manoeuvre by Hamas
Hamas has scored a stage victory, Star puts in:
“By agreeing to release the hostages it has created a basis for negotiations and secured a reprieve. Trump and his supporters, who until yesterday were still using threatening language, published Hamas's response on their own accounts, effectively recognising the terrorist organisation as a negotiating partner. This means Israel's efforts to eliminate and isolate Hamas have failed. ... This can be chalked up as a successful manœuvre by Hamas.”
Netanyahu could be the stumbling block
The Times sees the Israeli prime minister as an obstacle to peace:
“Critics have long accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war for his political and personal survival. The end of the war will mean the resumption of his corruption trial, and put his right-wing coalition in jeopardy. ... If Hamas fails to disarm, move into exile or some other part of the plan falls apart, Netanyahu will always be able to blame the terrorist group, restart the war and avoid the risks to his own political survival.”
Peace is still a long way off
Ilta-Sanomat hopes for at least a temporary cessation of fighting:
“Even if hopes of a ceasefire have been raised and Trump describes his initiative as a peace plan, there is still a long way to go before actual peace negotiations can take place. ... Trump's initiative is a step in the right direction, but it is too limited and too superficial to resolve the fundamental conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians and turn decades of hatred into a lasting peace. Despite the uncertainty and the many questions, it would of course be good if the fighting stops, at least for the duration of the negotiations.”