Commentary

Many Germans now recognize that former Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to open the country's borders to millions of Middle Eastern refugees in the summer of 2015 was devastating.

500 days have passed since the war began, yet the government, led by Netanyahu, still lacks a clear direction. The Israeli leadership has failed to define its objectives for Gaza in the post-war era. The only one offering an alternative vision is Trump. 

The meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump yielded unprecedented declarations at the White House. We, who are weary of disappointments and resistant to redemption, are called upon to transform our consciousness and think as liberated Israelites.

Headlines broke this week over Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issuing a decree revoking the Martyrs Fund payments. Those who suspected it was too good to be true, were likely right.

Before Oct. 2023, Sinwar followed Israeli media with satisfaction. In Sinwar's view, the ancient Islamic heritage that he and his comrades had memorized in streets and mosques came alive in vivid colors of blood. The failure of the murderous delusion led precisely to the demise of Sinwar and his murderous associates.

Netanyahu finally embraced Trump's views, because only by leveraging this joint stance can work. All other options have been tried.

At Madame Tussauds in London, my son Nimrod posed beside Donald Trump's wax figure years ago – a carefree moment from a family vacation that held no hint of what was to come. No one could have imagined then that the real person behind that wax figure would become the most influential force in securing Nimrod's release from Gaza.

If decision-makers are willing to wait so long to bring citizens back from captivity, for reasons unknown to me, they are gravely mistaken. A great-grandfather of Alon survived Auschwitz weighing 66 pounds – it is incomprehensible that his great-grandson faces a similar situation.

Upending stale thinking about the Arab-Israeli conflict is a good thing.

After 16 months of war, the survival of Hamas rule is an undesirable outcome. However, this does not mean Hamas has won. War is not a soccer match where the final score determines victory, and the end point is not set in advance.