Trump’s Middle East peace efforts dismissed as ‘narrow’
Analysts have cast doubt on President Trump’s claims of ushering in a moment of peace for the Middle East.
“I doubt it very much,” Sultan Barakat, a professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, told Al Jazeera. “The focus has never really been on the grand peacemaking in the region, but on the ceasefire and the release of the captives.
“He would like everyone to be incredibly grateful that he stopped the killing, which should not have been happening in the first place.”
Moreover, Barakat pointed out that there was no prospect of a two-state solution coming to fruition any time soon.
“When he came into the region, he was talking about this grand plan … pivoted around an independent Palestinian state next door to Israel. Now, he seems to be limiting his expectations to the reconstruction of Gaza. That’s a much narrower agenda – and much less than what regional leaders had hoped for.”
Pakistan PM reaffirms support for Palestinian state
Pakistan’s PM Sharif has said the establishment of a “strong and viable Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders” remains the bedrock of Pakistan’s Middle East policy.
In a post on X, Sharif said Pakistan’s priority at the Gaza summit in Egypt yesterday was an “immediate cessation of the genocidal campaign imposed on Gaza”. His comments come after backlash over Sharif’s announcement once again that he intends to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Erdogan seeks backing for Gaza reconstruction
Turkiye’s President Erdogan said he will seek support from Gulf states, the US and European countries to help rebuild Gaza under the new agreement. Speaking to reporters on the flight from Sharm el-Sheikh, Erdogan said he believed financing for the reconstruction would be provided quickly.
He added that recent moves by Western countries to recognise a Palestinian state should be seen as building blocks towards a two-state solution.
Palestine’s PM says peace depends on empowering Palestinians to govern Gaza
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa says ending the war in Gaza is a “fundamental step” towards restoring normal life after two years of immense suffering but warns that it marks only the start of a new phase.
“The cessation of war alone is not enough to end the tragedy,” Mustafa said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting in Ramallah.
“The real guarantee for peace and security as well as for preventing a recurrence of what has happened lies in empowering the Palestinian government to fully perform its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as part of its national duty towards our people everywhere.
“The challenges are immense, and the responsibility is great.”
Opening streets and roads is a priority: Gaza mayor
Yahya al-Sarraj, Gaza’s mayor, has spoken to Al Jazeera about the ongoing work in the coastal enclave amid the wide-scale devastation in Gaza.
Here are some of his translated comments:
- Our priority is to open streets and roads to facilitate access for citizens, and we have already begun doing so.
- We face a severe shortage of resources in order to facilitate the movement of citizens.
- We do not have spare parts and building materials for the maintenance of water wells.
- We demand that all crossings be opened to allow all urgently needed aid into the Gaza Strip.
