Source: The Telegraph
Translation: Telegrafi.com
She is, in all likelihood, a brave and resourceful woman. Maria Corina Machado has led the fight for freedom and democracy in Venezuela with courage and dignity. Perhaps one day she will help bring about real change in a country that has suffered under the rule of successive terrible governments.
And yet, of course, almost everyone except the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Oslo can see who the real winner of this year's prize should be: President Trump. Of course, we'll have to wait and see if it works, but the Gaza ceasefire is the diplomatic coup of the century.
Skeptics said it couldn't be done. The two sides were too far apart. Too much blood was spilled. Meanwhile, fanatics on both sides would accept nothing less than total victory and the complete destruction of the other side.
Yet, despite everything, President Trump will, as long as everything goes according to plan, be in Egypt this weekend to attend a signing ceremony. The hostages will be released. And, the fighting will stop — at least for now.
In reality, President Trump did three big things right. First, he stayed true to his principles. He was unwilling to sell out the state of Israel or compromise the long-term security of America’s closest ally in the region. Unlike European leaders, and no less than British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, he was unwilling to recognize a Palestinian state or offer any reward to the terrorist group for the brutal attack it launched on Israel in 2023.
Second, he was tough. We always knew he would be tough on Hamas. But he was also willing to play tough with other Middle Eastern states that are shaping the conflict in the background, while his attacks on Iran earlier this year weakened the position of the country most likely to destroy the deal. At the same time, he pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to compromise, making it clear that U.S. support was not unconditional.
Finally, he has a plan for the post-war reconstruction of Gaza. Of course, people will laugh at his “Gaza Riviera” project. A new generation of “Gaza-millionaires” seems unlikely now. But 30 years ago, the idea of turning the desert of Dubai into a major shopping mall seemed equally ridiculous. Only prosperity will bring lasting peace to the region, and Trump, who has always been in his element planning luxury apartments and resorts, has presented a vision of what Gaza could look like after the war.
Putting it all together, one point is undoubtedly clear. President Trump has already pulled off the diplomatic coup of the century. The Nobel Prize Committee seems to be suffering from a severe case of “Trump Madness Syndrome” that it cannot see this. But (almost) everyone else can see it – and who knows, maybe the Committee will fix this next October. /Telegraph/
