The 21-Point Plan; Trump’s Gamble and Israel’s Future at a Crossroads.

The 21-Point Plan; Trump’s Gamble and Israel’s Future at a Crossroads

As reports emerge of a proposed 21-point peace plan brokered by Donald Trump, the Middle East once again stands at a historic inflection point. The plan, which aims to end the war in Gaza, secure the release of captives, and establish a transitional governance arrangement, is said to be in its “final stages” according to Trump. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, insists that nothing has been finalized and that Israel is still “working on it.”

This uncertainty underscores a deeper reality: Israel’s current government is under unprecedented global and domestic pressure. With more than 66,000 people reported killed in Gaza since the war began, Israel faces increasing isolation at the United Nations, travel bans from European states, and public recognition of a Palestinian state by France and other countries. Even close partners are signalling fatigue with Netanyahu’s hard-line approach.

Trump’s Expected Action

Trump has positioned himself as a deal-maker returning to centre stage. His 21-point plan reportedly includes:

• A comprehensive ceasefire between Israel and Hamas;

• A staged release of prisoners and hostages;

• An international or regional mechanism to administer Gaza during a transitional period;

• A pathway toward long-term political settlement.

If Trump succeeds, it could reshape U.S. leverage in the Middle East and rehabilitate his image as a “peace broker.” But failure would deepen the region’s chaos and tarnish his legacy before it begins.

Israel’s Expected Decision

For Netanyahu, this is a lose-lose dilemma. Accepting a U.S.-brokered plan risks a backlash from his far-right coalition partners who oppose any role for the Palestinian Authority or international actors in Gaza. Rejecting it, however, risks alienating the very allies Israel depends on for diplomatic cover and security assistance.

Increasingly, commentators inside Israel warn that the country is drifting toward strategic isolation. Travel bans on Netanyahu, accusations of war crimes, and the recognition of Palestine by Western capitals are not symbolic—they signal a potential realignment of global opinion.

Has Israel’s “Greater Israel” Dream Collapsed?

The idea of a “Greater Israel” has always been controversial. Now, after months of war, the project appears politically and morally bankrupt to much of the world. Israel is at a crossroads: either adapt to a multipolar regional order where compromise is inevitable, or face a future of permanent conflict with neighbours—including Islamic countries that could be drawn directly into the conflict if escalation continues.

Moral Legitimacy and Leadership Crisis

Netanyahu’s government has been weakened by internal protests, judicial reforms backlash, and now the Gaza war’s humanitarian toll. Internationally, the narrative has shifted: once Israel’s security concerns dominated Western discourse; now images of devastation dominate global headlines. The moral authority of the current leadership is widely questioned.

The Road Ahead: From Occupier to Partner?

If Trump’s plan—or any serious peace initiative—succeeds, it would represent more than a diplomatic victory. It would symbolise a larger shift: the oppressed seeking justice, the colonised demanding sovereignty, and a regional order no longer dictated solely by military might.

Israel, at this moment, can either:

• Seize the opportunity for a durable peace and secure its long-term survival, or

• Double down on confrontation, risking isolation and eventual strategic defeat.

Peace, long deferred, may be about to reclaim its place at the centre of Middle Eastern politics. If not, the cycle of war and retribution will continue—and Israel may find itself facing challenges it can no longer manage alone.

Syed Ali Raza Naqvi Bukhari

Unity of Peace, Economic Reform, and Global Unity

Founder & Chairman of Tehreek Istehkam Pakistan, and the author of “Law of God” and “Social Democratic System.” Advocates for truth, social justice, and reform in all sectors of society.