A strange thing happened in the middle of the night on Monday: the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved one of the most acrobatic, contradictory resolutions in its long history.

It envisions an International Stabilization Force marching into Gaza to rebuild “civil order,” control the borders, dismantle Hamas’s military infrastructure and—almost as an afterthought—lay down “a path toward a Palestinian state.”

As always, the conditions are buried in diplomatic language. First, Hamas must complete the handover of the hostages—alive or dead. Only then, we are told, can the plan proceed to “phase two,” as U.S. President Donald Trump has often described and as Israel has always insisted. Without Hamas’s disarmament, however, the entire resolution becomes a dead letter. Everyone knows it.

Still, if the plan begins, Egypt and Israel will be the primary interlocutors, while the U.S.—more realistic than the U.N.—will remain the long-term guarantor. Israel would withdraw gradually as various international forces deploy.

It all sounds orderly on paper; on the ground, everyone understands the real obstacle is the same as it has been for decades: Hamas, its deceit—and the international community’s refusal to recognize the evil nature of the enemy.

The resolution’s most controversial line sketches “a path toward a Palestinian state,” and here the geopolitical theater shifts from New York to Washington. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives for his first visit since the Khashoggi affair froze relations with former U.S. President Joe Biden.

The Saudis today are the central pillar of Trump’s regional vision: a new axis balancing Israel, Qatar and Turkey, creating a Middle East no longer held hostage by Iranian tyranny or Muslim Brotherhood expansionism.

Saudi normalization would grant bin Salman what he prizes most: American and Israeli protection from the Shiite advance and from the Sunni radicalism propelled by Ankara and Doha. These forces worked overtime before Oct. 7, 2023, to prevent precisely such an alignment. And Iran, sensing danger, has since reactivated every proxy. Hezbollah, bruised by Israel, has snapped awake.

Weapons now pour into Judea and Samaria, Iraq and Yemen. Iran is emptying its arsenals, scraping the barrel. Even the weakened Hamas is preparing weapons depots in East Africa, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

Trump knows the price for Saudi partnership: F-35s for bin Salman, and a promise that the United States will resume talking about a Palestinian state. Behind these transactional details stands a larger promise: that Israel, strengthened by its wartime victories, will anchor the region’s security architecture.

In an official statement, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office congratulated Trump and his team following the United Nations vote, saying it was their diplomatic efforts that had led to the return of the hostages.

“The U.N. Security Council fully endorses President Trump’s 20-point plan and the establishment of the Peace Council under his leadership,” the statement said. “We believe that this plan will lead to peace and prosperity, because it includes full demilitarization, disarmament, and a process to de-radicalize Gaza.”

It is unsurprising that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—pressed by critics on both right and left—reaffirmed that Israel’s opposition to a Palestinian state “has not changed at all.” He also made clear that Israel is ready to act if Hamas rejects the Trump plan.

Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has already confirmed Israel’s military readiness. Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem declared that the terror group will hand over weapons only to the Palestinian Authority—a statement meant to sound responsible but, in reality, it is little more than a joke.

The U.N. document claims that as Gaza is stabilized and the P.A. undergoes reforms, “conditions may finally emerge for a credible path to self-determination and a Palestinian state.” The phrasing borders on fantasy. Yet it follows the logic of the Abraham Accords: build alliances, isolate extremists, reward responsible actors.

For Israel, the strategic imperative is clear. Keep Erdogan and Qatar out. Bring Saudi Arabia in. Maintain the iron bond with the United States, which remains the indispensable guarantor of regional order.

As for the F-35s for Riyadh: yes, they are formidable weapons, and in the wrong hands, they could prove dangerous. But Israel operates them on an entirely different, self-engineered technological platform—giving Jerusalem a decisive edge. The real issue is not hardware but strategy: ensuring that Israel remains strong, allied with Washington and positioned at the heart of a new, more stable Middle East.

This is the moment to protect Israel’s hard-won victories, secure its alliances and prevent the region from sliding back into illusions. The U.N. may speak the language of dreams, but Israel must continue to act with the sobriety that reality demands.

Source: JNS