Reference News, July 8 report: France's "L'Express" weekly website published an article titled "How Netanyahu and Trump Are Reshaping the Middle East Landscape" on July 6. The author is Charles Carasco. The main content is translated as follows:
The US president, who has dubbed himself a "peacemaker," is trying to reap the fruits of a new chapter in Middle Eastern history. This "new Middle East" will be the core issue during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to the White House on July 7. The atmosphere surrounding this meeting is vastly different from that in April. Over the past few months, facing an extremely active US president, the Israeli prime minister has been marginalized on multiple key issues: excluded from direct negotiations with the Iranian regime; blocked from the agreement with the Houthi rebels in Yemen; bypassed during the US president's official visit to the Gulf countries; and faced with a fait accompli regarding the lifting of sanctions on Syria...
In this regional power shift, the Gaza issue remains the most urgent topic for the Israeli prime minister. The war that has lasted 21 months is forcing him to make a final decision. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, recently summarized the common view of Arab neighbors: the main source of current regional instability remains "the ongoing conflict in Gaza."
Under the impetus of Qatar and Egypt, a 60-day ceasefire agreement is currently being negotiated. On the other hand, Trump has promised to take a "very firm" stance on ending the war against Netanyahu. However, despite the US president's strong leverage, such as military aid and weapon supplies, Israel always acts according to its own core interests. Dorothée Schmid, director of the Turkey and Middle East program at the Institute of International Relations in France, pointed out: "Israel is not playing the role of a policeman. It ensures its own security by deterring all neighboring countries, but this is all at the expense of regional stability."
Although this Gaza attrition war has drawn strong condemnation, the current military situation seems to be favoring the Netanyahu government.
Netanyahu is convinced that the current situation provides a unique opportunity: under the push of the most radical faction of his ruling coalition, it can completely "eliminate" Hamas, rescue the remaining 20 hostages still alive, and implement its plan to control the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Riding on the momentum of the Iran operation, Netanyahu is tying the Gaza issue to his political life. With the parliamentary election in 2026 approaching, this game is entering a countdown.
Meanwhile, the US president Trump is trying to promote his commercial-oriented vision of the Middle East, which aligns with the priorities of the Gulf monarchies. The lucrative contracts signed during his first visit to the region are evidence of this intention. Dr. Muhammad Bahalwan, director of the Dubai Public Policy Research Center, said, "Trump is shifting the strategic focus from geopolitics to geoeconomics. He is establishing a new type of relationship." (Translated by Liu Zhuo)
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7524630813217014314/
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