Rubin: Trump's new Middle East' depends on leaders who skipped his Egypt summit
Briefly

Rubin: Trump's new Middle East' depends on leaders who skipped his Egypt summit
"The most important optic of President Donald Trump's Gaza summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, was who was absent from the roster of world leaders standing behind him as he declared peace had come to the Middle East. Among the missing were the key players who will determine whether the president's 20-point peace plan for Gaza ever gets beyond its first phase: the ceasefire-for-hostages deal that, praise the heavens, returned the 20 living Israeli hostages and permitted desperately needed aid to begin flowing into Gaza."
"The stunning absence of those essential figures has received far too little attention from the media. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister who insists the Gaza war isn't over, stayed home. And even more telling, so did Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, and Mohamed bin Zayed, leader of the United Arab Emirates, without whose billions, Gaza won't be rebuilt. Both only sent underlings."
"Nor was there any visible Palestinian presence Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was in the hall but not on the dais. And Jordan's King Abdullah, who was on the stage, and whose role will be crucial to the future of the West Bank, barely received a mention from Trump. This was a stark reminder of how far removed the Mideast remains from Trump's over-the-top declaration at the summit that he had brought peace to the Mideast after 3,000 years."
The summit celebrated a ceasefire-for-hostages deal that secured the release of 20 living Israeli hostages and allowed critically needed aid into Gaza. Several pivotal leaders were absent from the podium: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not attend, and both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE leader Mohamed bin Zayed sent underlings instead of attending. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas remained off the dais despite being present in the hall, and Jordan's King Abdullah received scant attention despite his West Bank role. The absences and muted engagement underscore unresolved political and financial obstacles to Gaza's reconstruction and lasting regional peace.
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