![President Donald Trump gives opening remarks during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC on September 29, 2025. [Stringer - Anadolu Agency]](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AA-20250929-39261659-39261602-DONALD_TRUMP_NETANYAHU_PRESS_CONFERENCE_IN_WASHINGTON_DC-1.jpg)
In 1982, the Palestine Liberation Organisation agreed to leave Beirut with its weapons, on the basis that an international force would remain in the city and prevent the Israeli army from entering. The PLO withdrew, but the international force soon departed, leaving the defenceless refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila to face a horrific massacre. It was a tragic exchange: weapons for a promise. The promise was broken, and the result was catastrophe. Today, a similar formula is being put forward under a different guise. US President Donald Trump has announced what he calls a “Global Peace Council” under his leadership. At its core, the plan requires the destruction of Gaza’s tunnels, the removal of its weapons, and the departure […]
