The Independent: What happened is a victory for Trump and the beginning of the end for Netanyahu
The Independent newspaper addressed the moment of the ceasefire in Gaza, and the contrasting fates of two men, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at that moment.
While the editorial presented Trump as the political and diplomatic victor who, through his direct pressure on Israel, was able to impose a ceasefire, release the hostages, and reach new understandings paving the way for a broader peace, it portrayed Netanyahu as the biggest loser, caught between deepening international isolation and the collapse of his domestic legitimacy.
The newspaper emphasized that the most significant event wasn’t the grandiose speeches delivered by Trump and Netanyahu in the Knesset, but rather what it called Trump’s coercive diplomacy, which forced Israel to agree to a ceasefire after its actions in Gaza had become intolerable even to its allies.
The Independent notes that Washington now holds the reins of Israeli decision-making, and that Israel’s interests are now subordinated to US strategic priorities in the region.
The editorial argues that Trump’s peace plan goes beyond a fleeting prisoner swap deal, aiming to rebuild Gaza, expand the Abraham Accords, and impose an implicit two-state solution that guarantees Israel’s survival, not its expansion.
However, the Independent newspaper warns against excessive optimism, as previous peace initiatives in the Middle East have collapsed despite their bright beginnings, and disarming the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, and engaging Iran remain complex issues.
In contrast, Netanyahu, according to The Independent, appears to be a leader whose political cards have run out, as he didn’t want to end the war but rather prolong it to avoid being tried on corruption charges.
Therefore, the editorial states, the Israeli public greeted Netanyahu with boos in “Abductees Square,” indicating the collapse of his image as “Israel’s protector”.
The British newspaper summarizes its editorial by presenting Trump as a peacemaker driven by necessity and US pressure, and Netanyahu as a symbol of a bygone era—a period of perpetual war and political maneuvering.
While the former is celebrating what amounts to a victory tour, the latter is experiencing the beginning of a clear political decline, as Israel, according to the article, has become a strategic subordinate of the United States rather than an equal ally.
