Netanyahu folds under pressure from Trump

Perspectives from leading Israeli commentators -- Conflicts Forum’s compilation tracking strategic developments in Israel, 14 January 2025

• According to Israel’s Kan public news channel, Israel has given the green light to a ceasefire agreement. Egyptian sources have confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Hamas has agreed to the proposed deal, and that an announcement to this effect will be made after Israel’s approval of the deal. The Wall Street Journal confirms that the deal could be announced today, Tuesday 14 Jan.

• Trump sent a message to Netanyahu and to Qatar in recent days: "I want to see the prisoners come home. I don't want excuses". Trump confirmed yesterday to Newsmax: “We will reach an exchange deal in Gaza, the negotiations have reached their end, and the announcement may be at the end of this week”, [adding] “I understand there’s been a handshake and they’re getting it finished and maybe by the end of the week, but it has to take place”.

Leading Israeli commentator Ben Caspit reports:

“Netanyahu caved in to pressure after receiving a phone call from [Trump’s Mideast Envoy] Steve Witkov, who simply explained to him: “Sign here and here.” There is an American guarantee that if Hamas does not violate the agreement, the war will not resume”.

Caspit continues:

“There are clear indications that the end of the war in its current form is approaching. With all due respect to ideology and principles, and "complete victory", and all these slogans that hide behind them nothing but fear of Ben Gvir, all of this disappears and dies in seconds when you face Trump. Netanyahu made his calculations, he will get along with Ben Gvir, because getting along with Trump is more difficult, he does not want to end up like Canada, or spend his retirement in Greenland” … “Netanyahu convinced himself to accept Trump's plan, which was already under consideration [last] May. All that remains is to grieve over the time lost, the prisoners killed in captivity, and the soldiers killed needlessly”.

Likewise, Chaim Levinson in Haaretz outlines that ‘Trump's Mideast Envoy Forced Netanyahu to Accept a Gaza Plan He Repeatedly Rejected’":