The Peace Plan that isn’t
Larry C. Johnson is a former CIA officer and intelligence analyst, and former planner and advisor at the US State Department’s Office of Counter Terrorism. As an independent contractor, he has provided training for the US Military’s Special Operations community for 24 years. Today he runs the website Sonar21
Cross-posted from Sonar 21
I will give you the bottom line up front: The Zionists, not just Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, totally reject a two-state solution. Accordingly, Donald Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan is kaput right out of the gate… Dead on arrival.
President Trump, during a White House press conference with Benjamin Netanyahu, unveiled a detailed proposal to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which has raged since October 2023, and resulted in over 66,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread destruction. The plan, officially titled President Donald J. Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, is structured as a 20-point framework (though some reports refer to it as 21-points, possibly including an introductory preamble). It emphasizes an immediate ceasefire, hostage release, Hamas disarmament and exclusion from governance, international oversight, massive reconstruction, and a vague pathway to Palestinian self-determination. Netanyahu endorsed the plan, stating it achieves Israel’s war aims, while Trump warned that Hamas must accept it or face destruction with full US backing for Israel. Hamas stated it had not received the written proposal, but would study it in good faith.
The plan builds on elements from earlier US ideas (e.g., Trump’s 2020 Abraham Accords framework and a Saudi-French proposal) and input from figures like former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who contributed to postwar governance concepts. It was first presented in a 21-point draft to Arab and Muslim leaders at the UN General Assembly on September 24, 2025, receiving conditional support from countries like Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, who welcomed efforts to end the war, but stressed no displacement, full Israeli withdrawal, and a two-state solution. Turkey’s President Erdogan commended Trump’s “efforts and leadership” for a ceasefire, while the Palestinian Authority expressed confidence in his ability to find a peace path.
Critics, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, called it a “recipe to blow up the region,” arguing it sidelines Palestinians and allows indefinite Israeli security control. The plan avoids forced displacement, but permits voluntary departures, contrasting with Trump’s controversial February 2025 idea of US-led redevelopment into a “Riviera of the Middle East” with mass resettlement (which faced backlash and was later softened). The biggest tell that this plan is nothing more than a deception was the presence of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at the announcement. Jared’s dream of building resort condos on the Gaza beaches remains intact.
Here are the so-called highlights of Trumps proposal:
| Point Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Immediate Ceasefire and Hostage Release | – War ends immediately upon mutual acceptance. – All military operations cease; battle lines freeze. – Release of all ~20 living hostages and remains of 25+ deceased within 48–72 hours. – Israel releases thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange. – Hostilities paused during negotiations. |
| Hamas Disarmament and Amnesty | – Hamas must fully disarm, renounce governance, and dissolve as a military entity. – Amnesty for members committing to “peaceful coexistence” and decommissioning weapons; they can remain in Gaza. – Safe passage for those wishing to leave to receiving countries (no forced expulsion). – Gaza becomes a “deradicalized, terror-free zone” posing no threat to neighbors. |
| Israeli Withdrawal and Security | – Gradual Israeli withdrawal from all of Gaza. – Israel retains a “security perimeter/buffer area” until Gaza is deemed secure from terror threats (criteria undefined, potentially indefinite). – Deployment of an international stabilization force (ISF), likely from Arab/Muslim states (e.g., Egypt, UAE), under UN supervision for security handover. |
| Governance and Oversight | – Temporary technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee (qualified Palestinians + international experts) handles day-to-day services (e.g., municipalities, public services). – Supervised by a new “Board of Peace,” chaired by Trump, with members including Tony Blair and other heads of state. – Board oversees framework and funding until Palestinian Authority (PA) completes reforms (per 2020 Trump plan and Saudi-French proposal) and resumes control. – No Israeli occupation or annexation of Gaza or West Bank. |
| Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction | – Immediate, unrestricted aid influx consistent with January 19, 2025, agreement: food, water, medical supplies, infrastructure rehab (water, electricity, sewage), hospitals, bakeries, rubble removal. – Rafah crossing opens bidirectionally under prior mechanisms. – “Trump Development Plan”: Redevelop Gaza for residents’ benefit into a prosperous zone (e.g., economic hubs, no specifics on “Riviera” vision). – Funding via international partners; focus on deradicalization and mindset change through interfaith dialogue. |
| Long-Term Political Horizon | – U.S.-led dialogue between Israel and Palestinians for “peaceful coexistence.” – Pathway to Palestinian self-determination/statehood as an “aspiration,” contingent on PA reforms, Gaza redevelopment, and security. – Promotes “tolerance” via narrative shifts; Gaza integrated with West Bank in potential state per international law. |
Trump apparently ignored Netanyahu’s address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly on September 26, 2025… The speech was defiant, focusing on Israel’s military actions in Gaza, accusations of genocide against Israel, and regional threats from Iran and Hezbollah.
Regarding the two-state solution—specifically, the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state—Netanyahu explicitly rejected it as a viable or imminent path, portraying it as a dangerous concession that would enable further attacks against Israel. He argued that such a state would inevitably become a “terror state” controlled by groups like Hamas, citing the October 7, 2023 attack as evidence that Palestinian statehood under current conditions poses an existential threat. His rhetoric emphasized that Israel would not accept imposed solutions from the international community, prioritizing security control over the West Bank (referred to as Judea and Samaria) and Gaza.
During today’s unveiling of the plan at a joint-press conference, Netanyahu endorsed the proposal, but avoided committing to a two-state outcome. He stated, “This plan achieves Israel’s war aims—destroying Hamas military capability, securing our borders, and ensuring Gaza poses no threat.” When pressed on Palestinian statehood, he deflected, saying, “Peace requires security first, not abstract notions of sovereignty that ignore reality.” The Trump plan’s vague “pathway to self-determination” allowed him to sidestep explicit rejection while maintaining Israel’s security control over Gaza and the West Bank.
But this was nothing more than political theater targeted at the US public. Netanyahu’s position on the two-state solution has been consistent since October 2023:
- January 18, 2024 (Press Conference): Netanyahu rejected US calls for a Palestinian state, stating, “In any future arrangement… Israel must have security control over all territory west of the Jordan River. This collides with the idea of sovereignty [for Palestinians].” He argued that a Palestinian state would become a “terror base” like Gaza post-2005 disengagement.
- February 2024 (Cabinet Statement): Amid US and Arab proposals for a Gaza postwar plan with a two-state horizon, Netanyahu’s government passed a resolution rejecting “international diktats” for Palestinian statehood, declaring it would “cause unprecedented harm to Israel” and reward terrorism post-October 7. He emphasized, “Israel will continue to oppose unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.”
- July 17, 2024 (Knesset Speech): Addressing renewed international pressure, Netanyahu reiterated, “We will not allow the establishment of a terrorist state in Judea and Samaria [West Bank] that would endanger our existence… The answer is no.” He cited Hamas control of Gaza as proof that Palestinian statehood would lead to Iran-backed militancy.
I do not believe that Netanyahu will change his tune. I also believe that most of his private meeting with Trump was spent discussing the next round of attacks on Iran… So much for Trump snagging a Nobel Peace Prize. Neither Trump nor Netanyahu are serious about a peaceful conclusion to Israel’s genocidal war… The killing will continue.
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