President Donald Trump has been playing a game of geopolitical chess in the lead-up to his high-stakes meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, carefully lining up regional allies to strengthen his position. By securing the backing of key Arab nations for his Gaza peace plan, Trump aims to present the Israeli Prime Minister with a united front that will be difficult to defy.
Trump’s diplomatic maneuvering was on full display at the UN General Assembly last week, where he held a series of crucial meetings with leaders from the Arab and Muslim world. These discussions were not just for show; they were instrumental in finalizing a 21-point peace proposal and ensuring that the region’s most influential players were “on board.”
The strategy is clear: to transform the peace plan from a bilateral U.S.-Israel issue into a multilateral, regional opportunity. By doing so, Trump is increasing the political cost for Netanyahu if he chooses to reject the deal. A “no” from Israel would not just be a snub to Washington, but also to the Arab states with which Israel seeks to build better relations.
Trump has publicly advertised this support, using his Truth Social platform to declare a historic consensus. This is a classic Trumpian tactic of building public momentum and creating a sense of inevitability around his preferred outcome.
The chessboard is now set for Monday’s meeting. Trump has positioned his pieces and believes he has a winning strategy. The final move, however, belongs to Netanyahu, who must decide whether to align with this new regional configuration or to stand his ground, potentially upending the entire game.