Trump’s Middle East Representative to Visit Gaza with an ‘Assessment Delegation’
Steve Witkoff captured the spotlight at a lively presidential inauguration parade held within the pulsating walls of Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, on a chilly January 20. [Image Credit: Matt Rourke/AP Photo]
Washington, DC – Embarking on a daring diplomatic mission, the United States’ Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced plans for a visit to Gaza within days. This journey is part and parcel of his endeavor, whimsically described as an “inspection team,” to keep a vigilant eye on the ceasefire pact recently inked between Israel and Hamas.
In a candid tete-a-tete with Fox News on Hump Day, Witkoff teased his sojourn into two esteemed Israeli-held locales in Gaza, all part of a broader itinerary that includes an Israeli escapade.
“I’m gearing up to join an inspection brigade at the famed Netzarim Corridor as well as the Philadelphia Corridor,” Witkoff shared, adding a touch of aplomb. “Think of it as watchdogs from afar, ensuring safety reigns supreme and no one waltzes in with ill intentions or a cache of weapons.” But can diplomacy flourish amidst such armed scrutiny?
The Netzarim Corridor, acting as an informal boundary line dividing northern and southern Gaza, has been under Israeli command since their boots first hit the ground in Palestine in the chilly tail end of October 2023. Meanwhile, Philadelphia Corridor snakes between Gaza’s southern confines and Egypt, under Israeli governance since May of the last calendar year.
For the envoy, this Middle Eastern jaunt marks his debut visit since the curtains rose on a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas back on January 15. Previously a businessman navigating boardrooms, Witkoff had surprisingly blended into discussions in Qatar, which ultimately birthed this truce.
Interestingly, this trip is also his maiden voyage since Donald Trump swore the oath on Monday, heralding his presidency. Trump, never a fan of sugarcoating matters, has expressed his skepticism regarding the Stability of this agreement. “You gotta make it stickity stick,” Witkoff opined, alluding to potential Israeli captives’ release in Gaza, while hinting at Trump’s relentless directive for swift operations.
The ceasefire initiative itself unfurls in a triadic rhythm. For now, only the inaugural phase has embarked.
Set against a tumultuous backdrop, the next month and a half aims at giving the beleaguered landscape a respite from the rattling sabers; a measured retreat of Israeli soldiers, with Netzarim once more a civilian front, and a deluge of humanitarian assistance surging into Gaza.
A brutal 15-month conflict has imprinted despair on Gaza, rendering it a desolate wasteland, with the people paying dearly. International voices, including the UN, have raised alarms about looming famine, likening the savagery to genocide. An estimated 47,107 Palestinian lives lost since the fateful October dawn of 2023 should echo in humanity’s conscience.
Meanwhile, retaliatory strikes by Hamas on Israel’s softer southern underbelly took 1,139 lives, dragging over 200 souls into dungeons of uncertainty.
The first act of this mighty staged drama attends to 33 Israeli souls to be freed from Gaza’s grip, alongside the discharge of approximately 1,000 Palestinians from detention across the border. Thus far, a faint ray of hope flickers as three Israelis and 90 Palestinians have found freedom.
The sequel and concluding acts of the cessation saga dangle tantalizingly close, yet the finer points remain locked in haggling rooms. The subsequent phase is a chessboard maneuver starring the liberation of the remaining detainees, countered by the exit, stage right, of Israeli battalions from Gaza.
Such an act of goodwill seemingly contradicts Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s avowed resolve to wield control over Gaza’s security sine die. Not surprisingly, some combative voices in Netanyahu’s sphere lobby for a curtain call on hostilities the moment act one draws to a close.
The grand finale’s whispers swirl around an epic rebuild of Gaza village by village, and somberly, the ceremonious homecoming of captives’ remains. Yet, who’ll claim the reins of Gaza post-war remains anyone’s guess.
In a chatty aside with Fox News, a day post-Trump’s brooding remarks on whether the ceasefire might indeed hold water, Witkoff made headlines. Trump, tritely asserting the Middle Eastern strife isn’t America’s burden, wasn’t overly sunny. “Confident? No way, Jose!” quipped Trump viewing images of Gaza’s broken visage—a grandiose demolition site.
As tensions tailed Trump’s opulent first term, spanning from 2017 to 2021, he had aggressively demanded armistice talks under threat of his fiery displeasure. But the crystal ball remains murky on Trump’s potential actions should Israel veer off the truce path.
Unlike his more seasoned antecedent, Biden, Trump’s stance has hitherto bent over backward placating Israeli predilections. Biden’s epoch found America tethered unwaveringly to Israel, despite the prohibitive costs of continued military succor.
Trump, perpetually in the self-gratification lane, claims laurels for orchestrating the latest ceasefire. With a fresh mandate, Trump is poised to amplify US support, maneuvering hawks who advocate for contentious Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Sanctions from the bygone Biden-days, particularly those clamping down on recalcitrant Zionist cadres notorious for Palestinian advocacy, have been rolled back post haste by impatient Trump aides.
Demurring, Trump’s pitch as the great peacemaker, a champion of “America First,” finds resonance in certain circles.
Bristling with optimism, Witkoff credited Trump’s muscular ‘peace through strength’ ethos underpinning the ceasefire. While admitting the new brass didn’t crunch the numbers leading to the deal, tenacity remained the currency.
But that’s not the full monte. Witkoff juggles another visionary gambit: rekindle Israeli-Arab normalcy, a fire Trump diligently stoked during round one. With Israel yearning for less diplomatic solitude, this torch would be worth relighting.
The Abraham Accords stood tall, uniting Israel with Bahrain, the UAE, Morocco, and Sudan. Alas, whispers of bias against Palestine fueled the critiques. With Gaza’s war still a bitter memory, some skeptics question if those accords are embers waiting to cool.
Still, Witkoff floats a tantalizing prospect: Saudi Arabia could one day pen its name in peace—and why stop there? Witkoff foresees the potential for a pacific pact festooning the entire region.
Venturing into the realm of opinion, Witkoff claimed, “a truce was the entry ticket for normalization.” Gifts of diplomacy arise when disbelief dissipates like morning mist.
Fielding a query on potential Arab allies, Witkoff underscored Qatar’s stellar performance as mediator—in Gaza’s peace ballet. It bears mentioning Qatar remains steadfastly aloof, shunning diplomatic dalliance with Israel at every twist and turn.
Source: Al Jazeera
Report By Axadle
