Washington slows down on West Bank annexation, Netanyahu replies. While peace seems close, the void in Palestinian leadership weighs heavily
The visit of US Vice President JD Vance to Israel ended with a direct message to Jerusalem: the United States will not support any annexation of the West Bank. “President Donald Trump’s policy is clear: Israel must not annex the West Bank,” Vance declared, speaking of “a useless and counterproductive parliamentary vote.” The vice president defined the Knesset’s decision as “a politically reckless move” and specified that Washington “does not intend to remain silent in the face of unilateral choices.”
Tension between Washington and Jerusalem
Shortly afterwards, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he responded by claiming that «the motion on annexation was a provocation by the opposition, orchestrated precisely to create tension during the American visit». Netanyahu explained that “the proposals did not come from the government parties” and that “only an isolated Likud MP supported them”.
In the meantime, Secretary of State Marco Rubio he came to Tel Aviv to monitor the implementation of the peace plan drawn up by Trump, aimed at progressively stabilizing the region and creating a new political balance between the West Bank and Gaza. In an interview granted to TimeTrump confirmed that he had accepted the proposal to preside over the future «Peace Council»the international body charged with leading Gaza’s reconstruction and transition. “It wasn’t in my plans, but I will do it,” he said, adding that he was convinced that Saudi Arabia will sign a normalization agreement with Israel later this year: «Riyadh is ready to take this step, I have great respect for the king and I believe it will be the first to move».
Towards a new regional architecture
According to the American president, the main obstacles to normalization “they have failed: there is no longer the threat from Gaza and Iran does not represent an imminent danger.” Trump said that “the Middle East is entering a phase of balance and that the Abraham Accords will be expanded quickly.” On an operational level, the Israel Defense Forces they are considering a reduction of the military presence in the West Bank. As reported by Ynetthe measure is still being analyzed but has already raised protests. The parliamentarian Zvi Sukkotof Religious Zionism, sent a letter to Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir denouncing that “a 30% cut in military personnel could leave entire areas vulnerable.”
The issue of Tony Blair and the UN excluded from Gaza
In the meantime, Egypt, Türkiye and Qatar they would have expressed their opposition to the possible nomination of the former British prime minister Tony Blair head of the new «Peace Council». The news, spread by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbarreports that the issue was discussed at a summit in Cairo dedicated to the second phase of the ceasefire. A senior Israeli official, quoted by the broadcaster Kanfurther stated that «UNRWA will not return to operate in the Gaza Strip»despite the International Court of Justice ruling that forces Israel to allow the distribution of aid. “The UN agencies have allowed themselves to be influenced by Hamas,” the source said, adding that the management of the assistance “will be entrusted to more controlled and transparent structures.”
The Palestinian void and the return of the “myth” Barghouti
In this political and diplomatic context, the United States seeks to contain Israel’s more radical forces and to design a new regional architecture. But The leadership vacuum continues to weigh on the Palestinian front. It is in this absence that re-emerges, once again, the figure of Marwan Barghoutithe man who for many represents the face of the resistance and for others the distorted icon of a conflict with no way out.
For over twenty years, Barghouti is detained in Israel. Convicted in 2004 of five murders and for directing attacks against civilians during the Second Intifada, the former head of the al-Aqsa Brigades – Fatah’s armed wing – has become the symbol of a cause that mixes martyrdom and political failure. Israeli investigations showed that Barghouti authorized and financed terrorist operations. He is not a political prisoner, but a leader who chose violence as a tool. During the Intifada, he openly supported armed struggle as “legitimate resistance” and never distanced himself from suicide bombings. His words and actions contributed to dragging the conflict into a spiral of blood, making any dialogue impossible.
A symbol that blocks the future
Despite this, his image remains a point of reference for those who, in Palestinian society, cannot find credible alternatives. Within Fatah, Barghouti embodies the harshest and most hostile current towards President Mahmoud Abbas; for Hamas, it represents a useful icon, a symbol to wave against the Palestinian Authority. Even the West, often prone to romanticizing the Palestinian cause, has turned it into a sort of «Arabic Mandela»ignoring however that Mandela never ordered attacks against civilians.
Barghouti has never shown any signs of self-criticism nor proposed a real political project. His messages from prison repeat the same slogans as always, accusing Israel of “apartheid” and calling for “resistance until victory”. No words of reconciliation, no vision of coexistence. An authentic leader knows how to transform defeat into the future, educate in hope. Barghouti, however, remains a prisoner of his own myth: a static symbol, useful for filling a void but incapable of generating a perspective. As long as his image continues to replace politics, Palestine will remain a prisoner not only of the Israeli occupation, but also of its own illusions.
