Always so negative

Israel, Palestine, Japan, the Czech Republic, France, and the US.

Cry of The Prophet Jeremiah on the Ruins of Jerusalem, Ilya Repin, 1870, oil on board, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

Hello,

Here are the five things you need to know today:

• ISRAEL. PALESTINE. After two years of war, Netanyahu isn’t ready for peace.

• JAPAN. Hope for a Thatcher risks disappointment.

• CZECH REPUBLIC. Babis may have to hand over the keys.

• FRANCE. Lecornu may find soaking the rich is easier than reform.

• UNITED STATES. Trump’s unwoke warfare is a dangerous distraction.

And don’t forget to connect with me on LinkedIn.

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ISRAEL. PALESTINE. Statute of lamentations

After two years of war, Netanyahu isn’t ready for peace.

Donald Trump said Sunday that talks to end the war in Gaza were advancing “rapidly”. Members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet said they couldn’t agree to a truce. Trump told Netanyahu “you’re always so f***ing negative”, Axios claimed.

INTELLIGENCE. Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition partners have threatened to pull down the government over the deal presented in Trump’s 20-point plan, but a Knesset recess and opposition support mean this needn’t be fatal. Still, this doesn’t mean Netanyahu will accept what’s proposed by Hamas, which is essentially the same thing they’ve said for months: hostages in exchange for a ceasefire. As each day passes, Trump’s deal looks less like a breakthrough.

FOR BUSINESS. Hamas says it won’t disarm or disqualify from any future Gazan administration, which are equal if not greater objectives for Israel than the return of its hostages. While Trump and most of the world want the war to end, unless the protagonists agree, it’s meaningless. Actions on the ground also suggest an impasse. Israel claims to have stopped “offensive” attacks, but dozens were killed Sunday, including a Médecins Sans Frontières aid worker.

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JAPAN. Ironic

Hope for a Thatcher risks disappointment.

Stocks soared Monday as investors reacted to Sanae Takaichi’s appointment as Liberal Democratic Party leader. The probable next prime minister would appoint ex-LDP secretary general Toshimitsu Motegi as foreign minister, Asahi said.

INTELLIGENCE. Japan’s first female leader, Takaichi has likened herself to “Iron Lady”