Friday Focus: Trump’s Gaza deal, the details that could derail it, and the Middle East’s new power players
Rudyard and Janice dedicate today’s show to the monumental Gaza ceasefire deal which includes a commitment by both Hamas and Israel to end the war. Many of the details still need to be worked out which will inform how successful this deal really is. But make no mistake, Netanyahu has accomplished a stunning victory, guaranteeing the return of all the hostages while still occupying over 50% of the Gaza strip and the option to resume fighting if Hamas does not follow through on its commitments. Yet many important questions remain: what will the post-war government in Gaza look like? What is the UN’s role in this transition period? How far does Israel pull back? And perhaps, most importantly, is there a political figure who can unite all the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and usher in a new, hopeful future for this beleaguered population? Rudyard and Janice agree that the entire region is being redrawn; Iran’s influence is waning and Turkey and Qatar are emerging as power players with different objectives. Can they be trusted as western allies? And finally, Rudyard asks Janice: does Trump deserve his long coveted Nobel Peace Prize for bringing this war to a conclusion?
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