In the latest turn of events that would make even the most hardened skeptics’ eyebrows raise, we find ourselves talking about Donald Trump steering the ship toward what might just be eternal peace in the Middle East. Okay, maybe a bit hyperbolic, but he sure gave it a shot with the latest peace deal that’s been enough to earn him the unofficial title of ‘President of Peace.’ Given the ever-turbulent history of the Middle East, it’s as if Trump decided to grab the bull by the horns and try to win the Nobel Peace Prize straight from under the noses of Greta’s environmental boat crew.
The ink on the so-called 80-page peace plan was barely dry when everyone started buzzing about it. The deal basically says Israel will extend sovereignty over major settlement blocs in the West Bank while allowing for the creation of a Palestinian state with its capital in parts of East Jerusalem, allowing the regions to coexist. It isn’t just a “leave it if you don’t like it” sort of gig; the plan also called for a four-year freeze on Israeli settlement construction to facilitate negotiations.
But here’s where the plot gets juicy. Imagine Greta Thunberg, usually the darling of the ‘Save the Planet’ movement, getting her peace boat hijacked. Not literally, but her ship’s radios started blaring ABBA non-stop, thanks to some prankster with a sense of humor. It’s a battle of ‘Mamma Mia’ versus the sound of silence—an example of how even peace voyages can turn into a Eurovision song contest at sea. We’re talking life-imitating meme, and boy, do we appreciate the side of absurdity with our morning coffee.
It’s hard to keep count of all the ways this peace process could stumble, given that wooing Hamas into this accord might be like trying to convince a cat to do tricks. Yet, the framework is supposed to change Gaza is not directly addressed in this particular plan, but a focus remains on making parts of the West Bank more stable, and who doesn’t want fewer flare-ups in that part of the world? If peace does happen, there’s bound to be a celebration, albeit subdued, since nothing can quite top the drama on the high seas with Greta losing her leadership spot amid the floating karaoke chaos.
Here’s Trump’s plan in a nutshell: allow for the possibility of a future Palestinian state alongside strengthened Israeli territories, and throw in some Trump Tower-esque infrastructure while they’re at it. Of course, if the parties aren’t willing to play ball, Trump’s plan would leave Israel with significant territorial control. That’s diplomacy at its most pragmatic, or at least as down-to-earth as it can be given the gravity of the conflict. The world watches with bated breath, a mix of skepticism, hope, and mostly awaiting the punchline of what happens next.
