It is no exaggeration to say that the Middle East is in a very different place than it was this time last year – and that is entirely due to the tirelessness of the State of Israel and President Donald Trump’s judicious application of American power.
Now that the living hostages have been released and an (albeit shaky) ceasefire is in place, we have a chance to implement the rest of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan. It will be difficult and will require quick, decisive action and continued pressure on Hamas and its patrons in Iran to have any chance of success.
Hamas did not agree to the first phase of this plan because they wanted peace: they did so because they were backed into a corner. Since the ceasefire came into effect, they have turned their fire on their own people to purge any political rivals and terrorize the population into accepting their continued rule. And Hamas leaders hope that the ceasefire and the difficulties associated with enforcing the peace plan will give them the space they need to regroup and live to fight again.
President Donald Trump poses with a signed agreement during a summit of world leaders aimed at ending the Gaza war in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13. (Suzanne Plunkett/Getty Images)
That outcome is unacceptable. Israel will not and cannot return to the status quo that October 7 made possible, and the United States would lose the international credibility and deterrence that President Trump has restored if we fail to see through this plan.
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Our most urgent task is to disarm Hamas and prevent the group from playing any role in governance. That doesn’t just mean ensuring they don’t have access to weapons: it means destroying the labyrinthine tunnel system and building a security apparatus that prevents materials that could be used to wage war against Israel from entering Gaza. President Trump has and must remain committed to this condition to achieve lasting peace.
Collaboration with our partners from the Arab and Islamic world to implement this part of the plan is particularly important. The US will need to unite the coalition behind this objective and be prepared to apply pressure where necessary to keep things on track – especially with regard to former Hamas supporters Qatar and Turkey.
In both the short and medium term, we must focus relentlessly on continuing to weaken the regime in Iran so that it cannot reestablish its “Ring of Fire” around Israel, rebuild its nuclear weapons program, or reassert itself as a regional power. Getting rid of Iran was the X-factor that made this peace plan possible. Without Israel taking on Iranian allies across the region and Iran itself – culminating in the decimation of Iran’s nuclear program by the US and Israel – there can be little doubt that Hamas would be far stronger than it is today, and those hostages would still be suffering in the tunnels.
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Tehran is now at its weakest in years – but without sustained pressure the regime will regain at least some of its strength, especially with the help of autocratic friends like China and Russia. We must resume the maximum pressure campaign of the first Trump administration and explore all available means to pressure this decrepit regime so that it can no longer export terror and destabilize the region.
We can also increase the prospects for success by cultivating new opportunities for Muslim countries to normalize relations with Israel. During President Trump’s first term, I had the privilege of supporting the landmark agreements known as the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco.
By encouraging Muslim countries to pursue peace and prosperity, we could demonstrate the futility of continuing to wage war against Israel, and the bright future that awaits any nation that seeks peace. This laid the foundation for the coalition behind the Gaza peace plan, and I am confident that we are in a strong position to further expand the agreements.
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And finally, we must ensure that the United States continues its No Daylight policy toward Israel. The Gaza peace plan would not have been possible without the unprecedented close cooperation between the US and Israel. By giving Israel the space it needed to win this war on its own terms and supporting them at critical moments, President Trump turned the previous administration’s failed approach on its head and ultimately created space for peace through this show of strength. That is ultimately how the success of the Abraham Accord can be extended to other countries in the region.
The United States and our coalition partners have a historic opportunity to transform the entire region for the better, but time is of the essence. Maintaining pressure on Hamas and its supporters in Iran will determine whether this plan will succeed in the long term. It will not be easy, but given the determination and leadership of the American and Israeli governments, there is every reason to hope that it may be achievable.
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