Following the official opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem — a symbolic gesture in recognizing the holy city as the capital of Israel — and reports indicating that the Trump administration is in the “late phases” of the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, it’s difficult to ignore when looking beyond Israel’s immediate borders that matters are deteriorating.
As of Monday, more than 50 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,200 more have been wounded trying to storm the Gaza border by Israeli fire.
“Those provoking violence are part of the problem and not part of the solution,” President Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, said during the embassy opening. “We believe that it is possible for both sides to gain more than they give so that all people can live in peace, safe from danger, free from fear, and able to pursue their dreams.”
Meanwhile in Syria, Israel and Iran have already engaged in a shadow war under the guise of the Syrian civil war.
In Washington, President Trump has laid the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, better known as the Iran nuclear deal, to waste and reimposed economic sanctions, which has already resulted in growing tensions in U.S.-Iranian relations (not that they were particularly stellar to begin with).
Whatever the peace deal may entail, the conditions must be drastic and far-reaching. It’s impossible to reach a deal between the Israelis and Palestinians without making major concessions, whether it be dismantling the terrorist group Hamas or addressing the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Dismantling Hamas is less complicated when factoring in that Iran has been funding their Gaza border riot in addition to their day-to-day operations. Hamas’ power and influence in Gaza is solidified when photos and videos are shown to the world of dead Palestinians riddled with bullets fired by Israelis. It’s tragic, but that’s the type of tactics that a terrorist organization seems to think is working in gaining international sympathy.
And when it comes to addressing Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the debate over a one-state or two-state solution comes to the fold. Eventually everyone grows tired of the constant arguing and finger-pointing to where nothing gets resolved and we all start at square one.
Peace has never seemed further off the horizon.
President Trump often bemoans politicians, saying they’re “all talk, no action.” Now, he’s already moved the needle in the direction of peace with Kim Jong Un in North Korea and secured the release of three America prisoners, something his critics (including me) never thought was possible.
Trump has often discussed the possibility of bringing peace to the Middle East, saying it’s “not as difficult as people have thought over the years.”
Whether the peace deal is complicated by the U.S. Embassy’s move to Jerusalem and the deaths of Palestinians along the Gaza border or the Iran nuclear deal being scrapped, the Trump administration needs to pick up the pace.
To quote Thomas Fuller, “the darkest hour is just before the dawn.” The “darkest hour” is now. It’s time to act.
