His Nobel prize is looking a wee bit ... DOOMED

Former U.S. ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro came this close to saying it best — that Trump's plan for an Israeli-Palestinian peace is "not fully cooked." The descriptive bullseye he just barely missed — that Trump's plan is half-baked.

One could fly several Israeli bombers through his porous 20-point suggestion for peace in Gaza. Indeed, Netanyahu already has.

Friday afternoon, Trump wrote on Truth Social, "Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza." Yesterday morning, "I appreciate that Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing."

As Trump was thanking Israel for halting Gaza's apocalypse, Netanyahu was carrying out 93 airstrikes. One hit a Gaza City residence, killing 17 Palestinians, children included. Together, dozens were killed.

Friday morning, Trump wrote that "an Agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time." In his Saturday morning pronunciamento he demanded that Hamas "move quickly, or else all bets will be off. I will not tolerate delay."

Friday afternoon, Trump wrote that "Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE." They'd better be, or, writing earlier Friday, "all HELL" will break loose.

As of this writing, less than one hour remains before Trump's famous intolerance — see: Russia — kicks in. So far, Hamas has refused the agreement.

Perhaps refused is too strong. Netanyahu’s former ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog said Hamas gave “a ‘no’ cloaked as a ‘yes.’” Eyal Hulata, a national security adviser to former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, said both sides have mouthed yes with “no intention of doing what it takes.” Netanyahu ally Lindsey Graham said Hamas has rejected the agreement in essence — a vintage senatorial assessment.

At any rate, no Sunday agreement by Hamas, though of course Trump is claiming otherwise. Negotiations in Cairo tomorrow.

For now, Hamas itself is cloaked in silence on some issues and extreme wariness about others.

Trump proposed that Hamas disarm (as Israel's armed forces remain). No word on that. Crickets, too, from Hamas on the issue of ending its rule in Gaza; in its place, a "technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee" supervised by a "Board of Peace" chaired by ... Trump. (Which is to say, fanatically pro-Israel Jared would have a new job.)   

On the matter of Hamas releasing the Israeli hostages within 72 hours in exchange for Israel's release of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazan detainees, the pregnant question erupts: What cards would Hamas have left to play?

For Netanyahu's part in the agreement blowing up, he's been insistent, and he repeated this yesterday, that Hamas be altogether gone from Gaza. That's what you might call a sticking point.

But gone in a minute, given Palestinian rule, would be the far-right governing coalition that's been keeping Bibi out of jail. Because, what, no Israeli annexation and settlement of Gaza? No Jewish Riviera on the Mediterranean, replete with Towering gaudiness and vastly overpriced condos?   

That Trump had all but declared victory — another conflict, finito, thanks to his Nobel-deserving genius — appalls no one. Not any longer. Nor does Jared Kushner's involvement in scotch-taping the proffered agreement piece by fatal piece. To Trump's rolling fuckuppery add Netanyahu's instant willingness to agree, and you arrive at the sum of Hamas's rejection of White House preening.

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Notes:

Trump, Friday: "Hamas has been a ruthless and violent threat.... They have killed (and made lives unbearably miserable), culminating with the October 7th MASSACRE" — nearly 1,200 dead, 630 wounded and hospitalized.

Gaza Health Ministry, Saturday: Since 7 Oct. 2023, Israel has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, 169,430 wounded, but only 38% of Gaza's hospitals are even partially functioning — providing minimal care — so thousands have gone without.

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Cross-posted in Substack.