In today’s perplexing dance of international relations, one might think they’re witnessing a bizarre episode of geopolitical gymnastics. The dialogue between the US and Israel maintains a steady, unwavering bond, which, let’s face it, is crucial when dealing with dilemmatic neighbors like Hamas in Gaza. President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s partnership glues together the narrative of what next steps to take in this tightrope walk halfway across the globe. Disarming Hamas—a Herculean task if there ever was one—is at the hub of this discussion before reconstruction dreams for Gaza can take off the runway.

As any classic political jigsaw goes, there are always numerous pieces to fit together. The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, suggests handing over Gaza to Palestinian technocrats and a peacekeeping force. Surprise, surprise, logic and peacekeeping forces in the Middle East rarely seem to enjoy a harmonious partnership. Without removing Hamas from the equation, one might be inclined to ask if perhaps there needs to be another round of chess matches before discussions of putting technocrats in charge take hold. Even the idealistic notion of sending troops and money becomes a carefully calculated risk when the puppet masters reigning over Gaza refuse to retire.

Against this backdrop, Iran comes tiptoeing into the picture, brandishing their ballistic missiles like a misguided showcase of power. It’s always the tiny details like these that seem to throw a wrench into peaceful aspirations. In a world where peace is broached cautiously like an unwelcome relative arriving at the family dinner, Iran’s talks of peaceful existence alongside their military maneuvers paint a picture more Picasso than pious. President Trump and Netanyahu have no qualms about their desires to neutralize any threats from Iran’s missile show-and-tell.

Here’s where it becomes a tad frustrating. Imagine a leader who openly claims they wish for peace, yet their actions echo a storyline from a spy thriller, complete with missile exercises targeting dreams of tranquility. This rhetoric seems slightly offbeat, more reminiscent of a mismanaged play than diplomatic discourse. The old saying goes, actions speak louder than words, and nothing screams louder than a ballistic missile test when talking about peace.

This geopolitical conundrum begs clarity and a good dose of practical reasoning. The allies know standing strong is imperative amid various global actors intermingling in the vast sandbox of international politics. However, until entities like Hamas are disarmed and regional actors like Iran evolve from missile posturing to meaningful dialogue, discussions of peace and reconstruction seem less likely than finding a unicorn in one’s personal garden.