Loading ...As Expected, Trump Unveils his "Deal of the Century" Israel-Palestine Peace Plan"
President Donald Trump unveils his “deal of the Century” on TuesdayOn Tuesday at noon, President Donald Trump unveiled his “Deal of the Century” with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and members of the administrations from both countries. Nowhere to be seen representatives from the Palestinian leadership, who have already rejected the plan.
In a later development on Tuesday, the Washington Post reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was planning to move forward with annexing the Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the parts of the Jordan Valley addressed by the Trump peace plan–as early as Sunday. It seemed evident Israel was moving forward with annexation quickly despite the fact that the plan stated there was a four-year grace period.
(Fast forward this official White House video 25 minutes to see Trump’s remarks on Tuesday)
The 181-page document below details the Israel/U.S. plan which includes conceptual maps of the new Palestinian state.
To review the plan click here.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Peace-to-Prosperity-0120.pdf
Some of the provisions of the plan include:
1. The establishment of a Palestinian State
2. Asking Palestinians to recognize Israel as the Jewish state and to agree to solve the refugee problem outside of Israel.
3. Annexing Jewish settlements in the West Bank and annexing parts of the Jordan Valley.
4. Stating that the capital of Israel would be Jerusalem. The State of Palestine’s capital would be in East Jerusalem including Kafr Aqab, the eastern part of Shuafat and Abu Dis. According to the plan, the Palestinian capital could be named Al Quds or another name as determined by the State of Palestine.
5. Reiterating that Israel would maintain control of Jerusalem with the King of Jordan preserving his historic role in overseeing Muslim Holy Shrines in Jerusalem.
6. That the plan would allegedly “more than double Palestinian territory,” and no Palestinians would be uprooted from their homes.
7. That the new Palestinian state would have access to facilities in Haifa and Ashdod ports, develop a resort area in the north shore of the Dead Sea and develop agricultural activity in the Jordan Valley and modern transportation links would be developed through the future Palestinian state and Gaza.
8. Finally, if Palestinians accept the plan, $50 billion dollars would be invested in the new Palestinian state.
In addition to public officials from the U.S. and Israel and supporters of the plan who attended the ceremony, the ambassadors of the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Bahrain attended, sending a message of approval and cooperation from those nations, should the plan be implemented.
Former Jordanian Foreign Minister @MarwanMuasher on the White House peace plan: "This is not a reasonable plan. This is a farce, in my view." pic.twitter.com/JJhaujyHsZ
— Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) January 28, 2020
As expected, the reaction of the plan from the Arab American community has been deplorable. Some of those reactions are below:
Arab American Institute Executive Director Maya Berry issued the following statement on President Trump’s “Peace to Prosperity” Plan:
“The President included no Palestinian voices in the creation of the plan, which would confine Palestinians to small areas under Israeli captivity. Consequently, the plan has already been rejected by Palestinians themselves and by the United Nations. The U.N. reiterated that it remains committed to peace ‘on the basis of United Nations resolutions, international law, and bilateral agreements and realizing the vision of two States – Israel and Palestine – living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines.’ Indeed, the Trump plan is premised on denying Palestinians sovereignty, in contrast to the 138 countries, as well as the United Nations, that already recognize Palestine. Palestinians deserve what existing treaties and international law have long promised: genuine independence and self-determination.”
“As it stands, President Trump’s plan is an apartheid proposal, pure and simple. Alarmingly, Israel has already announced a vote on Sunday to annex 30% of the West Bank in accordance with President Trump’s proposal. If we wish to see a future of any peace or justice in the region, Congress must exercise its power of oversight and oppose this plan. Inaction in this moment is complicity in the face of all that we claim to stand against oppression, intolerance, illegal annexation, population transfers, and apartheid laws. The American people will continue to support dignity, freedom, and human rights for Palestinians.”
Want to know why this "ultimate deal" is a sham & a disgrace that will never lead to peace? @OmarBaddar explains:#DealOfTheCentury #Apartheid pic.twitter.com/1k9Ig0q9ND
— Arab American Instit. (@AAIUSA) January 28, 2020
Khaled Elgindy, a Senior Fellow and the Director of MEI’s Program on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs said:
“From the standpoint of normal politics and diplomacy, such an approach seems misguided, even bizarre. However, diplomacy is not the goal. Rather, the primary aim of Trump’s Middle East plan, apart from distracting from his and Netanyahu’s domestic troubles, is to fundamentally redefine the basic terms of an Israeli-Palestinian settlement by effectively doing away with the possibility of a two-state solution and to consecrate the status quo of the permanent Israeli occupation.”
Elgindy went on to say, “whether or not they are successful will in large part depend on whether Palestinian leaders can mount a credible counter-strategy and the extent to which the international community, the U.S. Congress, and even Democratic presidential candidates will be willing to call it out.
The US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) issued a statement in part stating:
‘Our people ultimately rejected Oslo, and have already rejected Trump’s ridiculous “deal of the century.” It makes no difference what Trump, Kushner, Netanyahu, Gantz, or Palestinian Authority President Abu Mazen (who continues his “security coordination” with the Israelis) say or do because the Palestinian people will continue to resist, by any and all means necessary, U.S./Zionist plans for the liquidation of our rights. And the international community will continue to organize BDS campaigns across the world and isolate Israel as the criminal, apartheid state that it is.”
America Muslims for Palestine issued the following statement:
“The outlines of this plan are a recipe for more bloodshed, the prolonged suffering in the Holy Land and across the Middle East. This is not a recipe for peace. The Trump administration, in essence, has embraced the stringent ideological positions and policies of Israel’s extreme right, acting as a conduit to channel these policies rather than policies based on human rights and international law,” stated Osama Abuirshaid, Executive Director of American Muslims for Palestine. “Therefore, this plan is dead on arrival. No Palestinian leader can accept it. And if any do, the Palestinian people will not, as it liquidates their rights that are enshrined by human rights and international law.”
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee released the following statement:
“With this new plan, there is uncertainty in what the future holds for Palestinians. What is certain is that Palestinians will continue to live in an apartheid state, subjected to dehumanization on their own land. Palestinians in Gaza will continue to live under grave humanitarian conditions, and millions more will still be prevented from returning home. It is time that this country, and the rest of the world, takes action to end the apartheid system of governance in Israel and to ensure full rights and freedoms for all Palestinians.”
Complied by Arab America
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