Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, the first returning hostages of the ceasefire-hostage return deal signed between Israel and Hamas last week, came back home on Sunday! It did not happen thanks to the Israeli government, but thanks to pressure from a foreign leader on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Whether we like Donald Trump or not – he is bringing our hostages back, much to the dismay and wrath of Netanyahu.
On the week in which Itamar Ben-Gvir, former National Security Minister, proudly admitted he managed to pressure Netanyahu throughout the past year to demolish all hostage return deals for political reasons – it was Trump who chose the sane, the obvious, the humane, and also the strategic path – to end this damned war.
It may be difficult to see a foreign leader pressure our government, threaten it, and force it to act in ways it would not have taken without these threats. But what if the government is acting against the security of its citizens? Against the good of the country? Out of narrow and selfish political motives? What if the very pressure from outside saves the hostages and the State of Israel from its prime minister? The Biden Administration was more invested than any other government in freeing the hostages. It devised the current plan, which is being implemented months too late. But Biden works through conventional diplomacy, through traditional assumptions of persuasion and pressure on an ally. These methods do not work on Netanyahu, the master of manipulation.
Trump's foreign policy is based on two principles, which sometimes seem contradictory. On the one hand, Trump is a businessman and he thinks of international relations in terms of transactions. On the other hand, Trump believes in what is called in professional terms "madman foreign policy": achievements come when the other side is threatened – publicly and bluntly. Madman foreign policy does not work in many cases, even in most cases. But it may work with certain leaders. With leaders who think only of personal gains and not of national interests. With leaders who do not seek good policies that benefit their citizens but only aim to please their coalition partners. In short: against Netanyahu.
The families of the hostages, and I among them, thank Trump for his pressure to bring our loved ones home. We ask him now: Please do not let up on this pressure until the last of the hostages have returned – the living to their families and the dead to their burial. Do not allow the Netanyahu-Smotrich government to exploit any delay or change in the lists to thwart the deal and restart the war. Press hard and use threats if necessary, especially when Netanyahu tries not to proceed to the second phase: "You signed the deal. Now you will execute it. And if not – you have a deal with the president of the United States."
And one last piece of advice for Trump: You do not need to be tied to the current deal; Biden's deal. It is better than nothing, but it is a deal that will take much longer than necessary – because of Netanyahu's refusal to end the war and return the IDF forces to Israel's borders. While this deal is being implemented, you can improve it by speeding up the end of the war and the IDF withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. There is no reason why all the hostages should not be home sooner. A large majority of Israelis, as well as the country's security apparatus, would support such a move. And Netanyahu? Dare him to oppose it.
Watching the three young, brave women returning to their families on Sunday took me back to the emotional turmoil of the first hostage deal in November 2023. Seeing Liat Atzili, the wife of my beloved cousin Aviv, in the Red Cross jeep on her way to freedom. Learning the next day that Aviv will never return alive… All the hostages must come back home in this current deal. All to the last one. Even if it requires foreign pressure. Even if it requires Trump's intervention.
Boaz Atzili is a professor of international relations and security studies at American University in Washington, DC He is the cousin of Aviv Atzili, who was killed in Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, and whose body was taken to Gaza.
