Trump’s Twitter diplomacy has backfired yet again. After a meeting yesterday with President Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Palestinian Authority, Trump sent out an enthusiastic tweet:
Ignoring the ignorant implication that the Israel-Palestine conflict could be easily solved after one meeting, the unconsidered, unmeasured tweet was destined to inflame Israeli hardliners who dislike Abbas, as well as the numerous Palestinians who don’t support him. Abbas has been accused of financial corruption on numerous occasions.
Presumably bowing to pressure from angered parties, Trump deleted the tweet earlier today.
It’s telling that Trump, who naively said the Arab-Israeli situation is “maybe not as difficult as people thought” has begun his handling of negotiations by stirring up digital outrage. Its a complex question whose history he doesn’t understand, and whose participants he has already managed to alienate.
Foreign policy is a delicate dance, and Trump has stomped heedlessly and blindly out onto the floor, only to find himself stumbling back awkwardly.
What do you think?
