Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel took much personal credit this weekend for an emerging plan to free all remaining hostages from Hamas and end the two-year war in Gaza.
But it was abundantly clear to Israelis, and to Palestinians and others in the region, that the one calling the shots was President Trump.
Mr. Netanyahu asserted in a brief, televised address to the nation on Saturday that the plan was the result of a diplomatic move that he had coordinated over weeks, and jointly presented, with Mr. Trump and his team.
Mr. Trump told it a bit differently. In a conversation on Saturday with a leading Israeli correspondent for Axios and for Israel’s most popular news channel, the president suggested that he had strong-armed a somewhat reluctant Mr. Netanyahu into accepting the terms.
“I said, ‘Bibi, this is your chance for victory,’ Mr. Trump related, referring to Mr. Netanyahu by his nickname. “He was fine with it,” Mr. Trump continued, adding, “He’s got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you got to be fine.”
Mr. Netanyahu is in no position to defy Mr. Trump while facing international censure over Israel’s conduct in the war and growing international isolation, analysts say, increasing its reliance on the United States.
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The post Strong-Armed by Trump, Netanyahu Embraces Gaza Deal as a Personal Win appeared first on New York Times.
