Donald Trump’s second meeting with a Middle Eastern leader in the Oval Office – this time with King Abdullah of Jordan – was even more striking than his first with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. If last week’s encounter signalled a seismic shift in US Middle East policy, yesterday’s developments confirmed it: the balance of power has decisively tilted in Israel’s favour.
The image of King Abdullah, visibly uneasy, twitching as he unexpectedly declared that Jordan would accept 2,000 sick Gazan children, was a moment of profound significance. It suggested that Trump’s relentless pressure – both public and private – was beginning to bear fruit.
The message from Trump and Netanyahu is unmistakable: the era of appeasement is over
Equally telling was Trump’s uncompromising stance on Hamas’s threats regarding the hostages slated for release on Saturday. He left no room for ambiguity: any deviation from the agreement would spell the collapse of the ceasefire and the unleashing of devastating consequences.
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