(Ynet News) Ron Ben-Yishai - While Trump lacks direct military options against Hamas, he holds three powerful levers to pressure the group into showing some flexibility on the hostage deal or to punish it if it resists after his inauguration. Trump could target Hamas's finances by shutting down Islamic charities in the U.S. and urging European allies to take similar steps. Additionally, he could pressure Qatar to cut off its generous funding. Trump's second lever could involve fulfilling his election campaign threats against Iran, using Hamas as a justification for imposing sanctions. Faced with this pressure, Iran may push Hamas to show flexibility in negotiations. The third lever could threaten that the U.S. will not contribute to Gaza's reconstruction unless Hamas compromises, blaming the group for the absence of a hostage deal.
2024-12-03 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive