“Peace will come when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us.” (Golda Meir)

For decades, world leaders have promised peace for the Middle East, often with dramatic signatures, photo ops, and declarations of “a new era.” Trump’s administration claimed precisely that. But while diplomats rushed to frame agreements as historic breakthroughs, the ground reality shifted in a very different direction.

Barely after Israel celebrated the return of living hostages, fragile symbols of hope, Hamas re-emerged from the shadows with horrifying speed. Public executions, torture, intimidation: their familiar authoritarian machinery roared back to life. The message to Gazans was unmistakable, obedience through fear.

Meanwhile, the United States once again misread the region’s dynamics. With stunning naivety, Washington allowed hostile armed groups to inch dangerously close to Gaza’s borders, just 65 kilometers from Tel Aviv. Israel stood on high alert as American policymakers repeated a historic pattern: interfering without understanding,........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)