Lots of people have been duped by the Qataris. I was one of them.

For years, I watched as the Qataris spent billions of dollars in Gaza, a territory from which the Israelis had withdrawn in 2005 and which Hamas – a designated terrorist organization committed to the extermination of Israel – took over two years later.

But, I reasoned, surely the Qataris don't want their expensive buildings rubbled. And if their investments improve life for Gazans, couldn't that diminish Hamas's enthusiasm for jihad? And won't the Qataris counsel Hamas not to start wars likely to end catastrophically for Gazans?

I was naïve.

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President Trump has long been eager to stop armed conflicts. Last week he succeeded. But with two asterisks.

First: He has worked hardest – playing the role of neutral mediator – to end the brutal war of aggression Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than three years. I see no progress yet.

Second: While it's no mean feat to bring about a "full and immediate ceasefire" between nuclear-armed Pakistan and nuclear-armed India – which the president accomplished with the assistance of Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio – don't confuse a temporary cessation of hostilities with making peace or even paving a "path to peace."

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A fourth round of talks between Tehran's envoys and Steve Witkoff, President Trump's lead negotiator, did not take place in Rome over the weekend as had been expected.

Neither Tehran's spokesmen nor the State Department gave a clear explanation for why, but I'll venture a guess: Iran's rulers want concessions in exchange for continuing to talk.

They think President Trump needs negotiations more than they do. Their assessment is based on years of palaver with Presidents Obama and Biden.

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A year ago, amid indications that Iran's rulers were preparing to launch a direct attack on Israel, President Biden publicly warned them: "Don't!"

But Iran's rulers did.

Neither fearing nor respecting Mr. Biden, they launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel. The extent of death and destruction would have been enormous had Israel's air defense systems, with U.S. and other support, not intercepted almost all the projectiles before they reached their intended victims.

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The atrocities committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 were recorded by the terrorists themselves on their hip GoPro cameras, their mobile phones, and even the phones of their victims.

Nevertheless, within hours, there were those in America and Europe denying that invaders from Gaza, after breaching the Israeli border at 119 locations, had carried out mass murders, sadistic sexual violence, mutilations, hostage-takings, and the burning of babies.

That shouldn't surprise you. After all, there's my truth, your truth, and his, her, and their truths, right?

No. Not right.

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