The Gaza peace plan needs revolving door diplomacy by Gulf and European ‘Trump whisperers’

EXPERT COMMENT

Gulf leaders’ Oval Office access has never been so good. They and others invested in the peace plan must use constant visits to the president to keep up momentum.

The success of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas rests on many factors. Not least is the president’s own level of engagement with the initiative. Should he lose focus or become distracted with another international issue – possibly believing that he has already ‘solved’ the Israel–Palestine conflict – then movement towards phase two will falter. Israel and Hamas will recommence the same punishing cycle of violence that has killed so many Palestinians and Israelis. And a process toward Palestinian statehood will not progress.  

The world has come to learn that President Trump’s governing style is unpredictable and intensely personal. He values being the centre of attention, enjoys the sensation of success and being seen as the world’s greatest dealmaker. He is undoubtedly a challenging president to engage. Yet some world leaders, particularly those from the Gulf and Europe, have developed the means to capture his attention. In doing so, they have become adept at managing relations with him. They have become Trump ‘whisperers’.

These include Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ), Qatari Emir Tamim Al-Thani, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Hungarian President Viktor Orban. All have learned to manage Trump by understanding not only what serves his interests and ego, but also what irks him.  

If Gulf and European leaders can capitalize upon this privileged access to the US president and keep him feeling central to events, then the Gaza plan has a chance of advancing. If they cannot, then no doubt it will stall. What is needed is revolving door diplomacy: a steady succession of high-level visits that feed his sense of involvement and reaffirm his role as indispensable broker.

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