Topics: Trump Netanyahu meeting

E&OE.......................

CHARLES CROUCHER: Welcome back on this Tuesday morning. More now on Donald Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. 

SARAH ABO: To discuss, we are joined by Australia's former ambassador to Israel, Dave Sharma. Dave, good to see you in the studio. Good Thanks for joining us. So we've been here before, right? Trump has promised peace in the past. This time he has a 20-point plan to end Israel's war in Gaza. What's your read on it this time? Can he achieve the eternal peace he's speaking of? 

DAVE SHARMA: Well, look, I think this is the most comprehensive and detailed plan that has been put forward for ending this conflict since it started 23 months ago now. I think it does have a good chance of success, but I think the real difficulty here will be getting Hamas to agree. Hamas is being asked to sign its own extinction warrant here. 

CHARLES CROUCHER: And so how do you do that? I mean, this is literally negotiating with terrorists.

DAVE SHARMA: It is. So look, the parties, outside parties with the most influence on Hamas are Qatar and then to a lesser extent Egypt and Turkey and Trump met with the leaders of all those three countries last week in New York, so they are part of this plan. And the other thing is, look, Hamas, yes, it has to sign its own extinction warrant, but the leaders are being offered amnesty and safe passage out of there, exile if you like. Depending on the level of military pressure they are feeling right now in Gaza City, and bear in mind they've lost a lot of their senior military leadership, that might be an attractive offer for some of them to take. 

SARAH ABO: There seem to be some inconsistencies between Netanyahu and Trump's sort of plans, I guess, when it came to it. One of them hinges on the position that the Palestinian Authority would have in any future governance of a Palestinian state. But there were also, um, some disagreements perhaps on Israel's withdrawal and, and the timeline that that would take. 

DAVE SHARMA: Yeah, so look, I think Trump's plan envisages a future role for the Palestinian Authority and I think that's important. I think that's something Australia should support. They are the legitimate political body of the Palestinian people. Netanyahu's previously tried to say they would have no part in that. Mm-hmm. Uh, the other point though is that Hamas has previously demanded that Israel would have to withdraw entirely from Gaza before it released any hostages. This plan says all the hostages should be released before Israel withdraws and that will be a staged withdrawal. 

CHARLES CROUCHER: That would be a big win for those that are still there. You mentioned Qatar and how important it is as a broker in all this. Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone in the Oval Office apologized for that Israeli in Doha earlier this month. What does that tell you about him as a leader and perhaps where his mind space is that he's actually willing to, to make an apology? 

DAVE SHARMA: Well, look, I think obviously Trump compelled him to do this. He was saying– 

SARAH ABO: Did it feel a bit like an act first, ask for permission later? Like, ask for forgiveness rather? 

DAVE SHARMA: With Qatar? Yeah. I think that's, I think that's right. I don't think Trump was, uh, or the US administration was aware of this strike Yeah. that's why they were happy about it. They've basically insisted Netanyahu apologize as part of a peacemaking effort. Look, I think it shows you that Israel, despite its willingness to, you know, go it alone in some respects diplomatically depends fundamentally on US support. And this is the, you know, a US-brokered peace has always been the best way to win this conflict because they are the country with the most influence over both parties.

SARAH ABO: Mm, especially when it comes to Israel. Yeah. Thank you so much for coming in, Dave. Appreciate your time. 

DAVE SHARMA: Thanks for having me

[ENDS]

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