Transcript [00:00] What does it mean more globally to the [00:01] whole arena, would you say? Good morning [00:03] to you. [00:04] >> Good morning, Nick. It looks like [00:05] President Trump is increasingly [00:06] frustrated with what should be a US ally [00:09] that seems to be playing both sides. [00:11] Trump is trying to open the Strait of [00:12] Hormuz for free international shipping [00:15] and is worried that a separate deal [00:16] between the Islamic Republic of Iran and [00:19] Oman could undermine that effort. [00:21] Remember, Iran wants to place tolls on [00:24] the Strait of Hormuz. It has offered to [00:26] split those tolls with Oman in the past. [00:29] And that undermines American leadership. [00:31] So, you see here President Trump looking [00:33] at Oman and saying "We're trying to open [00:35] the Strait of Hormuz for the whole [00:36] world. We don't want to accept you [00:38] undermining American leadership by [00:40] cutting a side deal that will see you [00:42] taking tolls from opening the Strait of [00:44] Hormuz in a way that surrenders it to [00:46] Iranian control and surrenders it to [00:48] Iranian piracy." [00:49] >> Elon, those with good memories will [00:50] remember we had pretty much the same [00:52] [clears throat] thing in May and it [00:53] didn't have much effect then. What Why [00:54] does he imagine it might have any effect [00:56] now? [00:56] >> Well, quite. This is the second time [00:58] we've seen these statements from [00:59] President Trump and that reflects his [01:01] frustration that allies in the region [01:03] that are threatened by the Iranian [01:05] regime are not throwing their lot in [01:07] completely with the United States and [01:08] are trying to hedge their bets. And here [01:10] is the big risk in the Middle East now. [01:13] That to the extent countries fear that [01:15] the United States will step back from [01:17] the Strait of Hormuz, wash its hands of [01:19] the region, retreat to an isolationist [01:21] stance. They're looking over their [01:23] shoulders at the big bad Iranian beast [01:25] wondering if they have to hedge their [01:26] bets by appeasing it. Um and President [01:29] Trump here is wanting to make sure that [01:31] countries stand up to the Iranian [01:32] regime, that they form a regional [01:34] coalition that will confront that [01:36] Iranian aggression instead of thinking [01:38] that they need to appease it because [01:40] it's the big bad bully in the region and [01:42] only it will remain. [01:43] >> Lastly, broadening it out a bit, you'll [01:45] be aware President Trump's son-in-law, [01:46] Jared Kushner, along with former British [01:48] Prime Minister, Sir Tony Blair, has had [01:50] meetings with Hamas leaders and has also [01:52] moved on to meet with Benjamin [01:53] Netanyahu. An overview of that, Elon? [01:56] >> Well, I fear that Hamas leaders think [01:59] that they can play the American [02:00] administration like a fiddle and it's a [02:02] mistake. Hamas has made itself [02:04] absolutely clear that it has no [02:05] intention of disarming. I wants to try [02:08] to use that control over weapons to [02:10] force an Israeli withdrawal and the [02:12] Americans need to be absolutely clear [02:14] now and it's important we heard that [02:15] clarification from Jared Kushner that [02:17] there can be no reconstruction in the [02:19] Gaza Strip without the full disarmament [02:22] of Hamas. It's simply a question that no [02:23] one is going to want to put a penny into [02:25] rebuilding buildings in Gaza if they're [02:27] going to be taken over by terrorists. [02:28] We're going to be building tunnels [02:30] underneath. So, we need to make sure [02:32] that the process for disarmament means [02:34] Hamas' total disarmament, the total [02:36] demilitarization of Gaza. I think that [02:39] Jared Kushner is a bit optimistic when [02:41] he says that Hamas should be given one [02:43] last chance to prove that it's serious. [02:44] It's perfectly clear that it's not [02:46] serious. It wants to hold on to its arms [02:47] to prepare another October 7th, but [02:50] important that the put of peace in [02:51] Israel have now set up those working [02:53] groups to focus on disarmament and [02:55] demilitarization. Everyone's common goal [02:58] is to make sure that no October 7th can [02:59] happen ever again and Gaza is a [03:01] deradicalized terror-free zone. [03:04] >> Always enjoy speaking to you. Thanks for [03:05] your time, Gideon.
Hamas refuses to disarm—and Eylon Levy warns it believes it can manipulate the Trump administration into pressuring Israel to withdraw from Gaza anyway.
In this urgent interview on LBC, former Israeli national spokesman Eylon Levy:
Warns Hamas is preparing for another October 7
Challenges Jared Kushner’s plan to give Hamas “one last chance”
Explains why Gaza cannot be rebuilt while terrorists remain armed
Accuses Iran of attempting to impose “pirate tolls” in the Strait of Hormuz
Warns that America’s allies are appeasing Tehran instead of confronting it
From Hamas’s efforts to retain control of Gaza to Iran’s attempt to dominate one of the world’s most important waterways, Eylon argues that American leadership is being tested across the Middle East. If Washington appears ready to retreat, its allies may begin cutting deals with the very forces threatening the region.
🎯 “Hamas leaders think they can play the American administration like a fiddle.”
