Once again, Netanyahu has outplayed Trump | Mohamad Bazzi

Trump considers himself a master deal-maker. But he's been regularly outmaneuvered by strongmen like Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin

As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump claimed he would quickly end the war in Gaza. Eight months after taking office, Trump finally decided to exert some US pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, announcing a 20-point peace plan at the White House on Monday.

But the deal that the US president struck with Netanyahu - after Trump dithered for months, allowing Israel to continue its genocidal war with US weapons and unwavering political support - is less a ceasefire proposal than an ultimatum for Hamas to surrender.