The Middle East remains at the epicenter of geopolitical friction as uncertainty continues around the Gaza ceasefire which came into force on January 19 and has less than two weeks left to run.
The fragile ceasefire remains under threat with a significant intervention by the United States exacerbating tensions and uncertainty.
During Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu’s recent White House visit, US President Donald Trump caused international consternation by proposing that Palestinians should be permanently resettled out of Gaza, which would then be developed by the US as the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’.
Numerous world leaders have criticised Trump's proposal. French President Emmanuel Macron said that the proposal is “not a real estate operation, this is a political operation”, referring to Trump’s prior involvement in the sector.
Closer to home, both Ireland and the United Kingdom reaffirmed their support for a two state solution. Tanáiste Simon Harris described Trump's comments as “very concerning.”
Reflecting deep concern throughout the Middle East, King Abdullah of Jordan rebuffed President Trump's proposal. Following a White House visit on 11 February, he stated that Jordan remained “steadfast against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.” Jordan has been a close and strategically important ally of the US, given its location in the Middle East, since establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1949. During Bill Clinton's administration, Jordan was designated a major non-NATO US ally in 1996.
The ceasefire remains tenuous with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s threat that the Israeli military would “return to intense fighting” in Gaza if all Israeli captives were not freed by 15 February. This followed President Trump’s suggestion that Israel should cancel the ceasefire and “let hell break out” if the agreed releases did not take place. Hamas released three Israeli hostages and Israel freed 369 Palestinian captives on 15 February, narrowly averting the collapse of the ceasefire.
On February 20, four deceased Israeli hostages were returned to Israel. The convoy returning the bodies was met with thousands of mourners in Tel Aviv. Six living Israeli hostages are due to be released on February 22.