Palestine is now the conscience of the world. No deal will change that
Palestine is now the conscience of the world. No deal will change that
This week’s announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington was not an agreement, but a mockery of one. A so-called breakthrough was presented, yet it was crafted between an American backer and an Israeli aggressor, sidelining the very people whose lives it aims to reshape. Palestinians were absent from the proceedings, their voices silenced as the narrative of peace was crafted without their input.
Trump stood beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, praising his “agreement” to a plan Trump had authored, while Palestinians remained invisible. No Hamas representatives, no Palestinian Authority delegates—just a hollow gesture meant to give the illusion of collaboration. The deal was a performance, not a genuine dialogue.
The plan echoes the colonial mindset that birthed the Abraham Accords: forging accords over Palestine without its people. It celebrates “peace” while ignoring occupation, blockades, and systematic displacement. The rhetoric of reconciliation is empty, masking the erasure of Palestinian self-determination.
What Trump delivered to Netanyahu was not compromise, but a declaration of dominance. It was a victory achieved through diplomacy, compensating for two years of military failures, including the inability to secure hostages or quell resistance in Gaza. The deal transformed defeat into triumph, a narrative spun to conceal Israel’s inability to conquer by force alone.
“Who could believe it?” Netanyahu exclaimed, marveling at the ease with which Muslim governments would lend credibility to his imposition. He had previously eliminated or threatened negotiators, from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh to those in Doha, ensuring their absence as the plan was unveiled.
The so-called agreement is a facade. Its only tangible promise is the return of hostages, while the rest is distraction. No clear withdrawal, no binding assurances—just vague commitments, allowing Israeli troops to stay in place. Arab and Muslim leaders, summoned to the event, were not allies of Palestine but enforcers of its subjugation. Their role was to pressure Palestinians into submission, using the platform to legitimize Israel’s dominance.
Israel’s isolation is evident. At the United Nations, Netanyahu faced 77 nations walking out, leaving him to speak to empty seats. Public sentiment in Europe and the U.S. has turned decisively against Israel, with younger generations leading the charge. A global movement of solidarity with Palestine is gaining strength, threatening the political ambitions of Washington and Tel Aviv.
The deal’s purpose is to halt this momentum. It seeks to suppress boycotts, protests, and the growing awareness of Palestinian suffering. By replacing Palestinian agency with an imposed system, Trump and Netanyahu have created a “Peace Board” dominated by their allies. Tony Blair, a figure with a history of colonialism in Iraq, now oversees this new regime of control.
History will judge this moment harshly. A ceasefire excluding the occupied is not peace—it is a colonial edict, reviving the language of mandates and oversight for the 21st century. It mirrors the Balfour Declaration, where Palestine’s land was promised away without its consent. From protectorates to trusteeships, the same tools of empire are reused to strip Palestinians of their right to self-expression.
