Jonathan Schanzer

And he still has, I think, a great deal of control of whatever is left of the Hamas fighting force. I don't expect him to last very long, but I do think that the center of gravity remains in Gaza primarily. I do think that Iran has a lot to say about this, but how much communication they're able to have with the fighting force, that's an open question.

These are the sorts of things that I question right now, and I don't really know how to answer. The other part of this equation is the Qataris. And I do think that there, the Qataris are running interference for Hamas. They're the ones who are saying that certain proposals are unacceptable, even if they're not even sharing them with the Hamas operatives that are there.

These are the sorts of things that I question right now, and I don't really know how to answer. The other part of this equation is the Qataris. And I do think that there, the Qataris are running interference for Hamas. They're the ones who are saying that certain proposals are unacceptable, even if they're not even sharing them with the Hamas operatives that are there.

These are the sorts of things that I question right now, and I don't really know how to answer. The other part of this equation is the Qataris. And I do think that there, the Qataris are running interference for Hamas. They're the ones who are saying that certain proposals are unacceptable, even if they're not even sharing them with the Hamas operatives that are there.

And I actually think that it's for this reason, among many others, that the U.S., when this crisis is over... We need to have a serious accounting of whether we want to continue to treat Qatar as an ally. I think we should strip them of their major non-NATO ally status. I think we should consider removing the Al Udeid air base from Doha. It's our largest air base in the Middle East.

And I actually think that it's for this reason, among many others, that the U.S., when this crisis is over... We need to have a serious accounting of whether we want to continue to treat Qatar as an ally. I think we should strip them of their major non-NATO ally status. I think we should consider removing the Al Udeid air base from Doha. It's our largest air base in the Middle East.

And I actually think that it's for this reason, among many others, that the U.S., when this crisis is over... We need to have a serious accounting of whether we want to continue to treat Qatar as an ally. I think we should strip them of their major non-NATO ally status. I think we should consider removing the Al Udeid air base from Doha. It's our largest air base in the Middle East.

I just don't think this is a regime we can trust because I think they're trying to tip the scales in favor of Hamas through these negotiations.

I just don't think this is a regime we can trust because I think they're trying to tip the scales in favor of Hamas through these negotiations.

I just don't think this is a regime we can trust because I think they're trying to tip the scales in favor of Hamas through these negotiations.

Well, look, first, let's just acknowledge that the president's Gaza-Lago plan was not a plan. I mean, it was an idea. Wait a second. That's fantastic.

Well, look, first, let's just acknowledge that the president's Gaza-Lago plan was not a plan. I mean, it was an idea. Wait a second. That's fantastic.

Well, look, first, let's just acknowledge that the president's Gaza-Lago plan was not a plan. I mean, it was an idea. Wait a second. That's fantastic.

Trademark it immediately. You have my support. Okay. All right. As soon as we're done here, I'm going to go send it in. But yeah, I mean, Gazalago was not a plan. It was a notion, if that, right? Definitely not even a full-baked idea. But here's what it was. The president tore a page out of his own book, The Art of the Deal.

Trademark it immediately. You have my support. Okay. All right. As soon as we're done here, I'm going to go send it in. But yeah, I mean, Gazalago was not a plan. It was a notion, if that, right? Definitely not even a full-baked idea. But here's what it was. The president tore a page out of his own book, The Art of the Deal.

Trademark it immediately. You have my support. Okay. All right. As soon as we're done here, I'm going to go send it in. But yeah, I mean, Gazalago was not a plan. It was a notion, if that, right? Definitely not even a full-baked idea. But here's what it was. The president tore a page out of his own book, The Art of the Deal.

You throw an idea at the other side that is just preposterous, that they can't accept, that you know they're not going to accept, and they get outraged. And then finally, when they're done being outraged, they come back to you with something that's maybe a little bit more in line with reasonable, whereas before maybe they weren't even ready to talk at all.

You throw an idea at the other side that is just preposterous, that they can't accept, that you know they're not going to accept, and they get outraged. And then finally, when they're done being outraged, they come back to you with something that's maybe a little bit more in line with reasonable, whereas before maybe they weren't even ready to talk at all.

You throw an idea at the other side that is just preposterous, that they can't accept, that you know they're not going to accept, and they get outraged. And then finally, when they're done being outraged, they come back to you with something that's maybe a little bit more in line with reasonable, whereas before maybe they weren't even ready to talk at all.

And so what's just happened is we started actually the real conversation. The real conversation is that the Arabs came back and made a suggestion of a five-year process in Gaza, $53 billion fronted by the Arabs. Here's the thing that's not realistic. All this so far is workable, but what they won't do is decide on the fate of Hamas.