“Whether for legacy or leverage, Trump’s ceasefire blueprint raises the stakes for Netanyahu. who is no position to continue the war in Gaza without US support”
By : Ya Libnan Op-Ed
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting pressure from both Washington and his own far-right coalition as a detailed U.S. plan seeks to end the Gaza war and pave a path to peace.
On Monday, Netanyahu is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump at the White House, where the administration will present a comprehensive framework aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas war. The White House is pressing him to sign a ceasefire agreement that directly clashes with his own stated positions—and those of his coalition partners.
The U.S. plan calls for:
- An immediate ceasefire
- The return of all hostages within 48 hours
- The release of thousands of Palestinian security prisoners
- A gradual withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza
- The creation of a technocratic interim government under international supervision
- The dismantling of Hamas infrastructure
- And most significantly, a pathway to Palestinian statehood, conditional on reforms and a successful reconstruction process
Trump is personally invested in the effort, declaring that the sides are “very close to a deal.” The administration has also called on Arab states to contribute funding and security support, framing the proposal as the first serious post-war roadmap.
But Netanyahu’s far-right allies are already threatening rebellion. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) said Netanyahu has “no mandate to end the war without defeating Hamas.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich(Religious Zionist Party) vowed his party “will never agree to a Palestinian state, even if it is hard; even if it takes time.”
Caught between U.S. pressure and his coalition’s ultimatums, Netanyahu appears once again to be reaching for his familiar playbook of delay and deflection. As in past ceasefire negotiations, he may attempt to stall, hoping to shift blame for any failure onto Hamas by arguing that it refuses to accept key terms.
Yet Netanyahu knows a truth he cannot escape: without U.S. military aid, diplomatic cover, and financial support, Israel cannot sustain its war effort in Gaza. This dependence gives Trump unprecedented leverage—and he appears willing to use it. The ceasefire proposal is more than a peace plan; it is a squeeze play, forcing Netanyahu to choose between U.S. backing and his far-right coalition.