The Gospel of Witkoff

The interviewer is Tucker Carlson, the conservative firebrand who was ousted from Fox News and now hosts a freewheeling political show on X, Elon Musk’s social media platform. His guest: Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy for negotiations between Israel and Hamas, as well as between Ukraine and Russia. Witkoff serves as the eyes, ears, and mouth of the former president. Both men are among Trump’s most loyal allies.

The topic on the table is Gaza.

Carlson, ever the friendly host, gives Witkoff a full 90 minutes to lay out his worldview, uninterrupted. But the content of Witkoff’s remarks – which he repeatedly frames as nothing more than executing Trump’s vision – should send shockwaves through Israel’s political and security establishment.

In reality? Benjamin Netanyahu, the same man who had no qualms about publicly rebuking President Biden through short, defiant video clips, has now gone completely silent. And why wouldn’t he? Just a month and a half ago, Netanyahu was finally welcomed into the Oval Office with a warmth rarely extended – especially when compared to the cold shoulder received by President Zelensky under similar circumstances.

Netanyahu looked positively delighted hearing Trump’s vision for Gaza. A gift beyond his wildest dreams: the “relocation” of Gaza’s entire population. In less diplomatic terms: “voluntary expulsion.” And in the terminology-that-shall-not-be-named? Transfer. The fantasy of every Itamar Ben Gvir acolyte.

So, Netanyahu returned from his Trump encounter flush with hubris. In a recent cabinet meeting, he reportedly remarked, “Trump couldn’t believe how deep the deep state runs in Israel.”

Back home, Netanyahu took to the Knesset and, with the confidence of a man on a mission, unveiled the long-awaited Gaza postwar strategy – one Israel had supposedly been yearning for since the outbreak of war. Want a plan for the day after? Here it is: Empty Gaza of its residents with full permission.

He didn’t stop there. Netanyahu launched a direct assault on what he deems the “deep state,” and this week began executing what looks like a personal war against it. In one swift move, he announced the dismissal of the head of Shin Bet, the firing of Israel’s attorney general, a reshuffle of the Judicial Appointments Committee, and – for desert – reinstated Ben Gvir to the government.

But then, Tucker Carlson and Steve Witkoff sat down for an intimate conversation – and Netanyahu’s world was overturned.

Witkoff, taking it upon himself to clear the current fog, laid out a new order. His hostage mediation efforts are stuck. The ceasefire with Hamas has collapsed. Israeli tanks are rolling back into Gaza for what feels like the umpteenth time. So Witkoff offers a clarification: what, exactly, is the U.S. interest in the Middle East after the October 7th massacre?

First, and in direct contradiction to Israeli talking points, he asserts: Qatar is on the good side. A peace-seeking nation, he says, actively working to broker calm across the globe. Qatar, according to Witkoff, is also an excellent mediator.

So how does Netanyahu’s “political plan” align with Witkoff’s vision? It doesn’t. In fact, it’s fundamentally at odds with the American strategic interest as laid out bluntly by Trump’s envoy. And what is that interest? Regional stability—driven by the priorities of Washington’s two most critical Arab allies: Saudi Arabia and Qatar. These are the economic heavyweights of the region, wielding broad political influence.

Apparently, Qatar no longer needs the PR services of Netanyahu’s aides, Yonatan Urich and Israel Einhorn (currently being suspected of working secretly for Qatar and whitewashing its problematic image). Witkoff is proving far more effective.

It’s not just Qatar earning unexpected positive points—Hamas is getting some too. Contrary to prevailing belief in Israel, Witkoff insists Hamas isn’t ideologically committed to martyrdom. “You can end the conflict through dialogue,” he says. Moreover, he argues that Gaza’s future isn’t “relocation” or exile—but quite the opposite. An end to the Israel-Hamas war, he claims, will usher in a new era of prosperity for Gaza, with tech hubs and innovation zones bringing hope to the Palestinian population. He even dared to utter the infamous concept: “two states.”

As for Hamas’s future? Witkoff suggests the group could remain “a little bit” in Gaza—so long as it agrees to disarm.

So how does Netanyahu’s “political plan” align with Witkoff’s vision? It doesn’t. In fact, it’s fundamentally at odds with the American strategic interest as laid out bluntly by Trump’s envoy. And what is that interest? Regional stability—driven by the priorities of Washington’s two most critical Arab allies: Saudi Arabia and Qatar. These are the economic heavyweights of the region, wielding broad political influence.

What role is Israel expected to play in this new architecture of peace? The answer is simple: end the war in Gaza. Only through cessation of hostilities can normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia resume—and with it, a return to regional equilibrium. Egypt and Jordan are teetering under the pressure of the Gaza conflict, and Israel is now expected to help restore calm. Even Syria makes a surprise appearance in this tell-all interview. Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the Syrian strongman, is described in favorable terms: “He’s changed since his younger years.” The implication? Peace deals with Syria and Lebanon—now under Saudi and Qatari patronage—might soon be on the table.

In short, resolving the Gaza crisis could relaunch the Abraham Accords—but in reverse. In their original form, in Trump’s first term, the Accords were designed to serve Israel’s strategic interests, proving that peace with Arab states was possible without resolving the Palestinian issue. Now, following the October 7 debacle, in Trump’s second term, the tables have been turned. Israel is being asked to serve the interests of Saudi Arabia and Qatar—now Trump’s key Middle East allies according to Witkoff—while Israel finds itself increasingly sidelined.

This is the crux of the American demand: end the war, release the hostages, and accept some form of continued Hamas presence in Gaza.

How did this inversion happen—especially under the administration that’s been hailed as the most pro-Israel in modern U.S. history?

The answer circles back, again, to October 7.

The multi-front assault, orchestrated with Iranian backing, exposed Israel’s strategic vulnerability. It sent shockwaves across the Middle East. Mass protests erupted across Arab capitals, threatening the fragile stability of moderate regimes. Trump, in his new incarnation, doesn’t want to be the “sucker”—his words—who pours billions into Ukraine, NATO, or possibly even Israel. He prefers allies who pay their way—like the Gulf states—not those who drain U.S. coffers.

Moreover, the domestic political calculus has shifted. The U.S. saw a groundswell of anti-war protest, including pro-Hamas sentiment that fractured the Democratic Party. Trump benefited. Muslim voters in Dearborn, Michigan—a key swing state—helped tilt the scale in his favor. And perhaps most significantly, Saudi Arabia has come to see the original Abraham Accords as a bad deal.

Despite all the talk about Mohammed bin Salman’s hostility toward Hamas and covert cooperation with Israel, Witkoff’s interview—and Riyadh’s recent actions—leave little room for doubt. Palestinian demands must be addressed. A resolution to the conflict is now a prerequisite for regional normalization.

A year and a half of war has failed to deliver Israeli victory. The elusive slogan designed by Netanyahu – “total victory” seems further than ever. In desperation, Netanyahu embraced a delusionary “political” vision now crashing against the hard reality of Witkoff’s doctrine. Ironically, it’s Hamas that emerges with the upper hand. How can victory be declared when Gaza lies in ruins? The answer is that it was precisely the massive destruction and the mass killing of Gaza’s civilians that contributed to Hamas’s victory. Trump granted legitimacy to Hamas by turning it into a party to the conflict’s resolution.

The recent meeting in Doha between Trump’s hostage envoy, Adam Boehler, and Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya was no coincidence. It embodied the policy Witkoff articulated: engage Hamas. Talk to them.

Hamas’s real victory lies in this fact: October 7 achieved its goal. It reinserted the Palestinian issue into global discourse. It’s no wonder 70% of Palestinians now support the terror group. This is the issue Israeli society refuses to grapple with. Without presenting a vision for future Israeli-Palestinian relations, the only blueprint left is Qatar’s.

And Qatar’s vision promises a bleak future for both peoples.