“Donald Trump has pulled off one of the greatest feats of his presidency by securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—just nine months into his return to the presidency.
From Iran and Israel to Ethiopia and Egypt, Kosovo and Serbia, and Pakistan and India, Trump approaches foreign policy through direct negotiation, economic leverage, and personal diplomacy. Victor Davis Hanson explores why this model succeeded where others failed, and how it could soon shape Trump’s approach to Ukraine on today’s episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words.”
“Why is this happening now, though? It didn’t happen under Biden, a settlement in the Middle East. It did not happen under Trump’s first administration. It did not happen under Obama. It did not happen under George Bush. There were about 10 things that had to happen. All these intricate pieces in this puzzle, the pieces of the peace, all fell into success in a way that made it possible. What were they?
“Donald Trump created personal relationships in the Arab community. He did not insult the Saudis, as Joe Biden had done during the 2020 campaigns. He did not alienate the Arab community. He did not alienate Benjamin Netanyahu. He gave them concessions. He praised them. He created personal relationships. He did trade deals. He used tariffs as carrot and a stick, pressures and leverages.” —
VDH is host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show,” available wherever you prefer to watch or listen. Links to the show and exclusive content are available on his website: https://victorhanson.com
“In the last few days, Palestinians and Israelis have been able to sleep through the night for the first time in two years. The fighting has stopped and the living Israeli hostages are home. Tens of thousands of Gazans are returning to neighborhoods where homes once stood, betting that stage two of President Donald Trump’s peace deal will secure a lasting end to the fighting, and the time and aid necessary to rebuild.
From the beaches of Tel Aviv to the halls of the Knesset, praise rang out for the American president. It wasn’t just Israel. Most world leaders have expressed enthusiastic approval for Trump’s peacemaking.
With the end of the brutal war in Gaza, there is, at last, a glimmer of hope for a new Middle East. There are already signs that Saudi Arabia, the custodian of the holiest sites in Islam, is willing to finish negotiations to recognize the Jewish state and become the fourth Arab country to join the Abraham Accords. Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world, is also signaling a desire to normalize relations with Israel.
Catholic Critique 