COMMENTARY MAG
What Trump’s Tough-Guy Diplomacy Means for Israel
Seth Mandel
March 13, 2025

Israelis may be relieved that U.S. envoy Adam Boehler has been sidelined from Hamas talks after his disastrous foray into hostage diplomacy, but they should remember that it is ultimately President Trump who sets the agenda. A new profile of the president’s main negotiator, Steve Witkoff, contains some insight into what Trump likes about Witkoff, what he expects of him, and what that means for anyone sitting across the table from him. The Telegraph reports that Witkoff’s initial success in getting a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas raised his stature enough to earn a shot at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. He has replaced Keith Kellogg, the retired general and national security adviser, as the administration’s top mediator for that conflict as well. READ MORE