US Pressure Forces Netanyahu to Accept Truce with Hamas, Signals Strategic Pivot in Middle East
The terms accepted by Benjamin Netanyahu in the recent ceasefire agreement with Hamas were undoubtedly the result of intense external pressure—primarily from the United States.
His brutal military campaign in Gaza, as well as attacks on Lebanon and Iran, originally aimed at dismantling the so-called Axis of Resistance, ultimately failed to achieve its core objectives. After two years of devastating warfare, Israel has effectively returned to its pre-conflict position. The exchange of thousands of Palestinian prisoners for a handful of Israeli detainees and the failure to eliminate resistance forces hardly qualify as victories.
Netanyahu is often likened to a rebellious child who repeatedly causes trouble for his parents. Over the past two years, his actions have inflicted significant financial and reputational costs on the United States. Under such circumstances, U.S. pressure on Tel Aviv to agree to a peace deal became inevitable.
Former President Donald Trump is well aware that continued warfare only strengthens the Axis of Resistance and brings Tehran, Moscow, and Beijing closer together. Moreover, it inflames global public opinion against both the U.S. and Israel.
For Trump, who faces far more pressing issues, the ongoing Palestinian crisis represents a diplomatic quagmire—one that feeds Netanyahu’s power ambitions with little to no benefit for Washington.
In the eyes of the U.S. president, confronting China, Russia, and Iran is far more critical than indulging Netanyahu’s expansionist agenda in Palestine.
Trump also believes that without a renewed presence in Afghanistan, the U.S. will be unable to make significant strides in challenging these three powers.
Accordingly, it appears the U.S. administration is pushing Israel toward peace in order to refocus its attention on more serious global concerns.
Signs of a U.S. effort to re-establish its influence in Afghanistan—via Pakistan—are beginning to emerge.
The recent flattery shown by Pakistan’s Prime Minister toward Trump, during the signing ceremony of the Hamas-Israel agreement, may be part of this broader effort. This initiative likely began with a series of visits by Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir to Washington.
In this context, recent clashes between the Taliban and Islamabad may not simply reflect a genuine war. Rather, they could be part of a complex strategy facilitating the gradual return of American influence to the region—a return possibly justified through the orchestration of new crises.
Overall, the Middle East is entering a new phase of geopolitical competition. While the Gaza war has been costly for Israel, its repercussions extend beyond Palestinian territories. These developments are reshaping the regional balance of power in West Asia, prompting a redefinition of the roles played by the U.S., Israel and their allies vis-à-vis the Axis of Resistance and its eastern partners.
