US-“Israeli” Collusion: The Hidden Agenda Behind America’s Latest Initiative
By Charles Abi Nader
At the US President’s invitation, leaders from Turkey, Qatar, Jordan and Indonesia joined senior officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan for a high-level meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Following the meeting, the leaders and senior officials of the eight Arab and Islamic states emphasized in a joint communiqué that ending the war in Gaza constitutes “the first step toward a just and lasting peace”. They underscored that “the tragic situation in the Gaza Strip has become intolerable, with its immense humanitarian calamities and heavy loss of life, in addition to its grave repercussions for the region and its impact on the Islamic world as a whole”. They further reiterated their unified position rejecting forced displacement and affirming the necessity of allowing the return of those who had been displaced, while calling for “an end to the war, an immediate ceasefire, the release of captives and the delivery of adequate humanitarian assistance”.
This statement summarized the stance of the Muslim and Arab leaders following their meeting with President Trump — but what was his position, and what were his true objectives in convening this gathering?
From a symbolic perspective, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s seat at the head of the table, to the right of President Trump, carried significant meaning. It indicated that Turkey’s position differs markedly from that of the other Arab and Muslim leaders, and that ties between the Americans and Turkey run far deeper than with the other countries present, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Turkey’s role in Syria since the onset of the war — including its central contribution to bringing al-Julani to power — has positioned Syria today under the leadership of Ahmad al-Sharaa, the candidate most likely to pursue normalization with “Israel”. This is evident from the emerging security agreements and the political, military and strategic advantages “Israel” stands to gain from such arrangements.
As for President Trump’s position, reflected in his brief remarks to the press at the start of the meeting, he leaned heavily on his characteristic flattery: “I met with some great leaders,” he said, adding that the meeting itself was “great”.
It was clear that President Trump’s primary focus was the issue of releasing “Israeli” captives — the only topic he addressed seriously. He made no reference, even indirectly, to the killings, destruction, and displacement in Gaza, instead placing full responsibility on Hamas for the failure of settlement efforts, the captives’ release and the continuation of the war. Notably, he also mentioned Bibi, referring to “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he would be in touch to discuss ideas that could help advance a resolution for the captives’ release.
Immediately following the meeting, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that the United States is “optimistic… even confident that in the coming days we will be able to announce some form of breakthrough” in the Gaza conflict between “Israel” and Hamas. He added that President Donald Trump’s 21-point peace plan had been presented to certain leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
So, what exactly is the plan that was presented to the leaders who met with President Trump? How could it possibly offer a solution to ending the war, securing the release of all captives and allowing humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip — whose population faces annihilation by bombardment or starvation? And will Netanyahu reconsider his ground operation, which has already advanced significantly in terms of destruction and killings in Gaza?
The truth behind these questions remains closely aligned with the pattern of deception practiced by the US administration in collusion with Netanyahu, which can be summarized as follows:
“The first US negotiation ruse in Oman prepared the ground for a sudden attack on Iran, while the second followed the presentation of an American proposal for a Gaza solution, resulting in a treacherous strike on Qatar that targeted Hamas leaders and their negotiation team shortly after their meeting to review the US proposal at the time”.
So what are the Americans hiding behind their current opaque maneuver, recently announced by Witkoff?
