A fundamental contradiction lies at the heart of the upcoming White House summit: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vow at the UN to “finish the job” against Hamas versus President Donald Trump’s push for a negotiated peace deal. This stark opposition of goals will be the central conflict that must be resolved in Monday’s meeting.
At the United Nations, Netanyahu presented a vision of military finality. His promise to see the war through to the complete defeat of Hamas was an unambiguous statement of intent. It reflects his government’s belief that Israel’s security can only be guaranteed by eliminating the threat on its border through force.
In parallel, Trump has been championing a vision of diplomatic resolution. His 21-point plan, backed by Arab nations, offers a path to peace through a ceasefire, hostage release, and disarmament. It is based on the principle that military action alone cannot create lasting stability without a political solution.
These two approaches are, on the surface, mutually exclusive. A negotiated deal would almost certainly require a halt to the military campaign that Netanyahu has defined as his primary mission. Conversely, continuing the offensive to “finish the job” means rejecting the diplomatic off-ramp that Trump is offering.
Monday’s summit will force these contradictory positions into direct contact. The core challenge for the two leaders will be to find a way to reconcile them. It will require either Netanyahu to redefine what “finishing the job” means, or Trump to accept that his peace plan cannot be implemented as currently envisioned.