Who will trust Netanyahu, leave alone Abbas, who before the 2015 elections during election campaign was talking about two-state solution. When the polls indicated that he might lose he changed his position and started saying that there would never be two states but one state, i.e. Israel. How can anybody trust this man?
1
Trump tweet or press conference a a few weeks ... " who knew Middle East peace could be so difficult " ....
We have a POTUS who doesn't know the difference between Hamas and Hummus and his son-in-law whose sole relationship with the Middle East is that he's circumsised. Know-nothings are running our government and they expect to put together a peace plan and one that will be excepted by all parties when the greatest minds have tried and failed. Besides, how in the world can anyone in the MIddle East trust the word of Donald Trump. an habitual liar who has broken his word to our allies with regard to the Paris Climate Accord as well as simply lying on a daily basis on any given subject. Either side would have to be as screwy as Trump to trust any plan put forth by him.
6
All this diversion will not divert the one who counts the most: Special Counsel Robert Mueller. He cares less whatever Trump says or does. Trump's goose has long been cooked, and we are still weeks away till Thanksgiving. Trump and Son In Law may continue to bask in their delusions of grandeur. They can continue to believe that through some miraculous doing they will undo the damage they have already done, undo the crimes they have already committed. They are deluded indeed. Their days of getting away with crimes as a private citizens are behind them. They are public servants, answerable to a whole new set of rules. They shall see. Maybe not until the day the authorities come a-calling with indictments and handcuffs, but that day is coming. And we Never Trumpers will rejoice.
DD
Manhattan
6
Look for another: "Who knew healthcare could be so hard" moment. Only in 10-foot tall letters. I'm not sure who Trump will blame most for the inevitable failure, Obama or Hillary.
3
Kushner doesn't need to actually broker peace in the Middle East. He just needs to ANNOUNCE peace in the Middle East - perhaps via - and challenge the rest of the world to prove it isn't true. Isn't that how team Trump do everything?
2
This is the same Trump that looks deeply into Putin's cold, steel-blue eyes and believes every word he says, against his entire intelligence community.
He'll do the same with Bibi and the Palestinians know it. They will be extremely cautious about making any deal with those two. Pretty soon he'll be tweeting about what 'losers' the Palestinians are for not accepting he and Bibi's terms.
I think on prerequisite for peace there is Netanyahu not being Prime Minister. I don't think there will be any serious negotiations as long as he is in charge.
2
That's the scariest headline of the week.
5
The deals this article describe are all one-sided, benefiting only Israel and Netanyahu. So there are no decent, workable deals described.
What needs to be done is the following:
Israel will recognize a sovereign republic of Palestine.
UN Security Forces will occupy the West Bank and Gaza, to keep to protect the Palestinians and Israeli's from each others' extremist elements.
Israel will evacuate the entire West Bank, except for East Jerusalem which will be jointly recognized as the Capitol of both Israel and Palestine.
The so-called Israeli Settlements in the West Bank will be evacuated intact by Israel, and be provided intact to Palestine for use by their own citizens.
A Palestinian sovereign corridor will be provided by Israel and/or Egypt, connecting the West Bank and Gaza, and protected by UN Security Forces.
Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt will join in a secular cooperative economic union, working towards peace and economic cooperation between those nations, That Semitic Economic Union will be headquartered in East Jerusalem.
If taken seriously, this can result in peace and prosperity for those nations. If it fails, the region will be no worse for it.
6
“Ultimately, both Netanyahu and Abbas just have this long, long history and they’ve played this game really well. And they don’t trust each other and I don’t think they will ever get to the point where they will trust each other.”
This could essentially be said to encapsulate the entirety of this particular conflict. Perhaps it is idealist and naive for a Jew living outside of the State of Israel to voice an opinion on the matter, but it seems fairly plain that it is in the collective hands of the future generations of Palestinians and Israelis to reconcile this blood feud of time immemorial.
The old way, and the leaders born of that age, called for sacrificing life to guarantee domination. There is no path forward from this point which does not involve negotiations free from political duress. Sending crony capitalists - whose piety is as transparent as their moral ambiguity - to settle what they perceive to be a "land deal" is a nightmare waiting to happen.
The mediator between two ancient cultures that are both strongly motivated by honor and shame cannot possibly be a nation which has so thoroughly abdicated all notions of these concepts.
For those who opine the 1, 2, or 3 state solution, or oppose the so-called "occupation," it is quite simple: Arabs/Moslems refuse the concept of Jews living amongst them in any way as reiterated in a 2015 poll. Commissioned by The Washington Institute and conducted by a leading Palestinian pollster, the poll comprised face-to-face interviews with a standard random geographic probability sample of 1,200 adult Palestinians, yielding results with a 3% statistical margin of error. "60 percent of those polled, including 55 percent in the West Bank and a commanding 68 percent in Gaza, reject permanently accepting Israel's existence and instead suggest their leaders "work toward reclaiming all of historic Palestine, from the river to the sea." Further "...those amenable to a two-state solution view such a move as “part of a ‘program of stages,’ to liberate all of historic Palestine later.” In the meantime, Palestinians have been engaged in a full time program of cold blooded murder against innocent civilian Jews incited by the ruling PA/Hamas. Nothing more need be said...
4
I fear that you may have been misled into believing information which has been skewed by both issues of transliteration and political bias. In the United States, and for reasons which are ultimately not difficult to understand, our government has an overwhelming obligation to ensure the security of the modern State of Israel.
Political views are fine. Military realities tend to shape these conversations before much time is given for reflection, however.
The phrase "delusions of grandeur" come to mind, both for Trump and Kushner.
4
Dear Dan:
Delusions are the least of it. Chutzpah and their belief that they are beyond the power of the Law to enact Justice. They have spent such sheltered lives, although Jared has witnessed first-hand what happened to his convicted felon father. Does he not get it? He is so immersed in his bubble that he thinks Daddy In Law will bail him out? Well, we shall see. I must admit, even though I detested Nixon, in his final days I did feel a bit of sympathy for Tricky Dicky, perhaps for sadness for all that he lost was he own fault due to his paranoid behavior and self-loathing.
For the Trumps, I fell no such sympathy. They have been too darn arrogant for any feelings of sadness. They deserve all that's coming their way, and more. They will in the end fare far better than most felons. That is probably the only thing that disturbs me. That will not pay enough for the crimes they've committed.
DD
Manhattan
1
Trump has neither the smarts nor the respect of any middle east nation - all of which (including Israel) who view him as a babbling buffoon. A schoolyard bully is the last person fit to broker any diplomatic deal.
6
Everything Trump touches turns to lead. This shall be no different.
6
"Trump Team Begins Drafting Middle East Peace Plan"
I smell a winner right there, that's got can't miss written all over it.
5
Indeed a winner. All of this winning Team Trump is accomplishing is just exciting beyond belief....or, just simply unbelievable on its face.
I keep asking myself, "why is this happening now?" and "what did they talk about when he visited earlier this year and made that 'great deal'?"
This smells fishy
3
This sounds promising and innovative. Let's hope Trump can pave the way for peace and prosperity between two parties who sorely need it.
This is, in point of fact, quite possibly the stupidest and most willfully ignorant thing that's come out of the Trump family since Fred was redlining black people back About 1969.
Congratulations.
6
".... but the fact that the president entrusted it to a close relative was taken as a sign of seriousness in the region."
Based on Trump's personal ignorance of geopolitics and his dismal track record for high level appointments, I'd say the "region" is either pushing the envelope of naiveté or expanding the dimensions of gullibility. Most likely both
3
After several discouraging ailed attempts it is good to know that there are efforts under way to drafting middle east peace plan. Israel's Netanyahu had poor relations with Obama but has best relations with Trump and the Palestinians too have decent relations with Trump. Peace deserves a chance before Hezbollah and Hamas get an upper hand and scuttle peace efforts. Middle east is a quagmire and if Trump team can bring peace in the middle east it will be a miracle. One can only hope that another Yemen does not erupt in Lebanon where Iran and Saudi Arabia support opposing forces. So far under Trump's watch there have been no new wars besides the lingering wars from the Bush & Obama era in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Libya. Just keep it that way while bringing to a close wars that Trump inherited. Believe me not an impossible mission.
1
"He went to Jared" only works in advertising, not diplomacy, and certainly not with anyone connected to Trump.
What a sad state of affairs we and our allies find ourselves in with this not so comical amateur hour starring the reality show hack named Trump.
8
Just the headline is a hysterically funny construct. These people are leading us and the world to war. There is no ME peace plan of any credibility.
5
Although the comments here are heavily weighted towards sarcasm, cynicism, and ridicule, I, for one, look forward to see what the new administration has in mind.
It is easy to jeer. Too easy.
3
Jeering isn't the word. Contempt is.
4
Thank you and I don’t know what all the jeers are about. One would think Obama solved Syria, Ukraine, NOKO, Libya, Iran, Cuba just to name a few highlights.
Can someone please tell me why we don't already have a Palestinian State adjacent to Israel? From 1948 (after the conclusion of the Israeli-Arab War) until 1967 (a period of almost 20 years), Gaza was administered and ruled by Egypt, while the West Bank was administered and ruled by Jordan. At any time during this 20 year period Arabs could have declared an Arab State of Palestine, which they also rejected in 1948. Why are we still discussing this when the Arabs could have unilaterally declared their own sovereign State much, much earlier. Anyone??
4
Because they would only be satisfied with an eradication of the Jewish state. They have refused peace several times on that basis.
That is, the Palestinian "leadership" has. I'm not so sure the rank and file people would. Or if they would, it's due to 70 years of brainwashing by their "leadership."
The Arabs and Jews worked together very happily for many decades of the last 19th and early 20th century, and Israeli Arabs enjoy all the freedoms of the citizenship.
4
In a sentence: it's the most contentiously debated conflict created almost entirely in the 20th century which has garnered this level of external fascination since people thought they could "Free Tibet."
Then there's the matter of the actual details, which are quite complicated.
That grin on young Jared's face tells it all.
5
The self-delusion and hubris of the Apprentice-in-Chief and his son-in-law is simply mind-numbing.
13
This would be hilarious if it weren't so horrifying. Did the administration decimate the State Department so the stunningly unqualified Kushner could have clear track to set up his real estate shop in the Middle East. Because he sure isn't going to bring on peace in the region. Not even the height of folly. Just plain arrogant and stupid.
16
Don't make me laugh!
5
Oh..Jared is working on the plan to 'fix' the heretofore intractable problems of the Middle East. I feel much better now.
8
Team Trump begins drafting a Middle East peace plan? Is this a lost Three Stooges episode? Curly or Shemp?
12
Go Jared Go!
..,.and don't forget to secure financing for 666 5th Ave. Be careful though, Mueller is watching!
7
Who would even buy an adress numbered 666?
3
Until the Palestinians and the rest of the Muslim world are truly willing to accept Israel as a Jewish State to live in peace in the region- no ifs, ands or buts-peace proposals are a waste of time. All other issues can be negotiated, but not the continuing existence of one of the parties to the negotiations.
5
You think the reward for ethnic cleansing should be security and peace, no questions asked?
5
What "ethnic cleansing"? The Palestinian population has increased, not decreased.
6
Very much this. As a non-Israeli member of the Diaspora, it is impossible to pretend that there is something within any recent Israeli Government behavior which might encourage some signs of hope. Instead, hope comes by way of a corruption scandal and expanded settlements? Did "never again," mean nothing?
1
So the Trump WH have that much hubris that they think they can solve 1000's of years of conflict, do they?
3
Ridiculous. The Idiot President, who blasts Senator McCain and others with serious foreign policy experience, is writing a “plan”. Oh please spare us the embarrassment. After it is put forward, and people realize it is ignorant and unworkable and say so publicly, his critics will be called “losers” and the rest will be “fakers” and “failing”. Can’t we just all move him into a wormhole destined for 2020?
6
McCain the war monger is partly responsible for the Iraq invasion; so much for experience.
1
Trump could just tweet out some insults and name calling. That always makes international negotiations go smoothly.
3
It will be a great plan folks and nobody makes better plans than me, believe me. It has been built by great, great people and it will be a wonderful plan the likes of which the world has never seen. And I will make Palestinians pay for the plan. I am just thinking to myself right now, why not tell you the plan, right? It is so beautiful, flawless, you will be writing books about the plan. I will take care of it. Mark my words.
15
Thinking "outside of the box", and using the box as a basis for receiving personal graft, are two different things. President Trump has a lot of experience in one of them.
6
Peace in the Middle East is a worthy but elusive goal.
Let us hope The Republican President can succeed where others have failed and broker a peace accord.
2
And what in his record so far would lead you to believe that's even remotely possible??
2
This is the definition of "chutzpah"!!!
3
The clowns are a joke. They couldn't negotiate their way out of a paper bag.
4
I'm not anti-Semitic but Kushner is Jewish. And Trump seems ready to anoint Saudi Arabia the arbiter of statecraft and humanitarianism in the Middle East. Immediate disqualifications.
5
And what's with the microphones on the table in the war room there? Like their mouths aren't loud enough already.
1
There is nothing anti-Semitic about the understanding that no kind of orthodoxy can possibly hope to unify or represent centrist interests.
2
A strong and assertive American president who is willing to lead from the front can solve many world problems and is necessary to keep bad actors under control. Trump is such a leader. Under Obama who preferred to lead from behind, world problems got worse and bad actors pushed him around to took advantage, whether it is Putin or ISIS. Nothing happened regarding Palestinian issue. Trump has already reestablished American leadership on the world stage and most likely will solve Palestinian issue as well.
2
Reestablished American leadership? Like with climate change (Obama led), international trade, especially in Asia (Obama led), clean 21st century tech (Obama led), civil rights (Obama led)... The list goes on, my friend. Trump's world is a small, nasty, and yes, backward, place.
17
For the left, there is only one issue, climate change. Even in this deal, others were taking advantage of America. Elites of America may not understand this, but the ordinary people understand it because they are the victims. This is the reason why Trump is the president.
2
That's the funniest thing I've heard in some time.
His biggest contribution to Middle East peace will be a nuclear Iran. And Saudi Arabia. And...
1
Reads like a headline from The Onion...
10
"Palestinians...holding off seeking further international recognition..."
Someone please explain to me how this could be part of a two-state solution.
3
Jared Kushner needed help to get into good schools and now he is writing the peace plan for the Middle East? I guess Trump is not really looking for a peace plan that works.
7
It's based on season 2 of The Apprentice.
4
What happened to America First? Let’s do something real to curtail gun violence here and stop Americans from killing each other, and then go and stick our nose in other countries’ business.
9
Jared Kushner? Which Jared Kushner? You mean that young inexperienced man with a convicted felon for a father, who himself is facing a criminal investigation? That Jared? Or...the guy who is very friendly with one ME leader also facing serious criminal investigation, including for war crimes? The same Jared Kushner?
Wow, now I can't wait to see this guy solve "the opioid crisis".
While he is at it can he also give a try to solve the unsolved mathematical challenges as of 2017, like the Hodge conjecture, the Riemann hypothesis. and the Yang–Mills existence and mass gap?
13
Oh yeah, that's right, let's get Jared on this pronto. You see, the Son in Law has little time to spare. Those indictments are coming down the pike. How long will it be before the Kid is hauled off to the gray bar hotel? So yeah, Jared, you'd better get cracking. The clock is ticking, and the bell tolls for thee.
DD
Manhattan
13
I read the headline and laughed out loud.
14
Didn’t anyone hear Tom Friedman two years ago. There will never be a two state solution - stop talking about it.
Why?
Jerusalem.
Israel will never agree to relinquish its holiest site, and the Palestinians will never agree to give up Islam’s third holiest site.
Checkmate.
6
I don't believe Team Trump understands that they can't just tell other people how to act and believe. When multiple people claim the same territory and their arguments over possession have been going on for hundreds of generations, this is not going to be resolved by the decisions of a 35 year old real estate agent. getting all parties involved to 'yes' is going to require major shifts in beliefs from tens of millions of people. I don't believe Jared is the messiah-of-change for this.
3
The best option for the Palestinians is to return to Kuwait from where they were wrongly evicted and take Kuwait. The Kuwaiti province of the Kingdom of Greater Syria has been offered to the Palestinians by our kind, well meaning and benevolent king.
2
I actually have high hopes for this effort. First things have really changed on the ground with regards to the Arab partners and U.S. relations - e.g. the clear distinction between Arabs and Iran- much for the positive in US terms. Second, Trump's policies have brought him the unique position of being loved by Israel and the Saudis and UAE. Third, Egypt, Syria and other neighbors are shadows of their former selves and could be forced to accept concessions they were not willing to do so before. Fourth, Arab countries drawing a land in the sand against extremism, terrorism, and populism which makes them more on the side of Israel than ever. But most importantly Trump brings a pragmatism and a willingness to be thoroughly politically incorrect which is needed in this situation. I can easily imagine a deal where multiple external players simply pay-off stakeholders to be happy with cash, land, arms, and benefits that makes everyone reasonably happy. In a game where the high-minded have been brought low, maybe its time someone with a different perspective try their hand.
5
pragmatism???
2
Yes, thats it! We just need to buy off everyone and then they will all be happy. So simple why didn't the previous POTUS admin. think of that before. Oh, and giving them more weapons is a good idea too. They will be afraid to use them because they will all have them. We should try this with N Korea.
2
Forget the Middle East. This White House cannot even maintain peace within the Republican party.
12
Thank God that someone with the breadth and depth of experience of Jared Kushner is finally leading the Middle East peace effort.
7
I heard Joe the Plumber is coming out of retirement to help out.
13
Joe the Plumber got in trouble with Ohio officials after his national notoriety, because he didn't have valid licenses for the plumbing work he did.
6
Let's focus. Israel, 8 million citizens by Bibi's standards a minor Theocracy, Saudi Arabia, a repressive in many ways a Medieval Theocracy, 30 million, Iran, yes a Theocracy of sorts but a well educated young populace of 80 million and a reasonably healthy economy bordering on the Evil Empire of Putin. I know whom I would back in the Middle East.
7
Israel is not a theocracy. A theocracy is rule by clergy.
Netanyahu is no rabbi.
3
Kushner's father was a convicted criminal in the US.
Kushner is under criminal investigation in the US.
Kushner's friend Netanyahu and Netanyahu's wife are under criminal investigation in Israel.
Kushner's friend Netanyahu is under investigation for war crimes at the ICC.
This does not lend Kushner much credence.
18
Paradoxically if the Israel-Palestinian conflict is resolved, Iran will likely cease hostility toward Israel.
The Trump administration and the United States seem to have the odd notion that Iran's "ambitions" in the region are independent of the Israeli-Palestinian problem. They are not.
Hezbollah was started in 1980 when Israel bombed Sunni Palestinian refugee camps in Southern Lebanon, from which forays against Northern Israel had been launched. The Shi'a population in Southern Lebanon was also devastated by the Israeli attacks, but the Christian (at that time) leadership of Lebanon had no desire to come to the aid of the Shi'a. Thus they turned to newly-revolutionary Iran for help from their Shi'a brethren to create a militia to combat Israel when the Lebanese government would not help.
Now Hezbollah is the dominant political force in Lebanon. It is thoroughly entrenched--the Shi'a are the majority population.
Similarly Iran has been sympathetic to Hamas because of Israeli oppression of Palestinians.
Hostility toward the United States is complex, but a great part of it has to do with American support of Israeli hostility toward the Palestinians.
So, Iran will welcome a resolution to this conflict. May it happen. But I am skeptical that Jared Kushner and the other amateurs in the Trump administration can broker any kind of lasting deal.
But if by some miracle this can be accomplished, the Trump administration may be undercutting its own hostility toward Iran.
11
I wonder if they'll try & slip "Repeal and Replace Obamacare" into the deal?
10
America has unsuccessfully pushed a combination of ignorance and arrogance in the Middle East for a century. The present administration is perhaps the most ignorant and arrogant in our history and their predictable failed results will reflect those traits.
7
I hope JK gets this done before the indictment.
9
Mr. Trump and his team make no bones about being pro-Israel. The president has boasted of being Israel’s “biggest friend” and Mr. Kushner, Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Friedman are all Orthodox Jews with ties to Israel."
Connect the dots. What does this say about the US investment in a 2 state solution? What has it ever been? No need to waste breath on Trump. And yet this article that purports to be fair-minded assiduously avoids the word "occupation" in favor of "conflict." How can this be a "conflict" when one side has an arsenal of nuclear weapons and the other is imprisoned for throwing stones. Peter Baker, an honest and responsible reporter, wrote the article but his choice of words and tone betrays his own bias. The NYTimes has not a single full-time Arab reporter that I know of reporting on the Middle East - much less Israel. In the fall, with much riding on Trump's support of the nuclear agreement with the Iranians, a number of articles about Iran's growing influence in the Middle East appeared in the Times. Some comments called them "incendiary." The Times has moved to the right, following Israel's own drift.
If the role of the Public Editor had not been eliminated from the Times I'd be writing these notes to her.
8
Yes, the poor Palestinians have done nothing but throw stones.
You don't help your argument when you make blatant exaggerations like that.
2
Actually I didn't say the Palestinians have done nothing but throw stones. I say if they throw a stone at an Israeli they're sent to prison. I'm talking about legality, whose weapons are legal, even nuclear weapons, whose weapons are not, even stones. Who gets tried in whose court. And for what. In a word, who has military power, the great enforcer, and who does not. Who gets to allot punishment and who doesn't. It's a question of how an occupation works. So I'm saying let's forget the word "conflict." It attempts to even out a situation that's sordid and cruel.
2
"Mr. Trump and his team make no bones about being pro-Israel . . . Mr. Kushner, Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Friedman are all Orthodox Jews with ties to Israel. But Ms. Powell is an Egyptian-born Coptic Christian."
Is something wrong with this picture? Not a single Muslim American involved. Mr. Friedman is beyond "pro-Israel;" he is a radical. Ms. Powell, an Egyptian-American who is a Coptic Christian is not a substitute a Muslim American. Sadly, notwithstanding that the "Muslim World" and Islam occupy a great deal of foreign policy, national security, and news time and resources, Muslim Americans are not and never have been involved at high or meaningful levels in U.S. policy on the Middle East, nor in the U.S. national security apparatus (and no, Obama does not count...).
The lack of meaningful Muslim American representation is not because of a lack of qualified and interested Muslim Americans ready to serve. Muslim heads of state and government in the Middle East are not and should not be regarded as good or faithful representatives of Muslims who will be affected by any peace plan/policy. Most of them are concerned only with power and striking deals for U.S. cover to accumulate and hold power by any means (such as by arresting princes and others in a "corruption" sweep in Saudi Arabia).
5
Why bother?
Trump can just say he brokered a comprehensive peace between Israel and the Palestinians and 30% of brain challenged Americans will believe it.
When the news organizations and everyone else grounded in reality clearly show that it's a lie, those same Americans will side with Trump.
Fox will bolster their belief.
He can stay in bed all day, eat chocolate and play video games and just tout his "accomplishments" on Twitter and it becomes reality for millions.
Am I accurate?
17
Who is on the Trump Team, the heads of America's intelligence agencies or Vladimir Putin the Russian president ?
In 2001 President Bush said of Vladimir Putin, "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy." And now President Trump trusts Putin more than he trusts the heads of his own intelligence agencies. ["Trump Says Putin ‘Means It’ About Not Meddling in U.S. Elections"; Nov. 11, 2017]
Currently posted online by the B.B.C.: "The US State Department has employed a private firm set up by a veteran Soviet-era spy to provide security for its Moscow embassy and diplomatic missions in Russia....The US has now signed a contract with Elite Security Holdings, founded by the ex-KGB General Viktor Budanov. General Budanov was a close friend of British spy and defector Kim Philby." http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41947030
Political and policy differences with the President are one thing. However, a fundamental inability to learn to differentiate friend from foe, to even understand what constitutes collaboration with a foe is a mortal danger to America itself, no matter what one's political and policy perspectives. A President who believes American policy should be made on the basis of what Vladimir Putin says and not on the basis of what Directors of the F.B.I., C.I.A. and National Intelligence have said is unfit to uphold his sworn Constitutional duty to protect America. And that is true whatever your political perspective.
9
I can’t imagine the Israel and Palestine leaders taking Trump and Jared’s peace plan too seriously. Polite might be the best response they can hope for.
2
Bill Maher already to put this to bed Friday night by asking, who are the Palestinians more likely to trust than an Orthodox Jew whose specialty is acquiring property.
12
The president can't get a deal through Congress, but now, with Jared's help, he's gonna fix the MIddle East?
9
It would be nice if they'd do something about Yemen right now.
5
Allow the entire population of Israel to emigrate to the USA if they wish to. Let's see if Mr. Trump really loves the people of Israel. I will say this, the immigrants from Israel will make our country great and strong, as have all immigrants in the past - whether from Africa, Europe, Asia or South America (and Australia too!); whether voluntary or forced.
3
According to Reuters, the Saudis just attempted a coup in Lebanon. It says the Saudis summoned PM Saad Hariri to Ridyadh, took away his phone when he got off the plane, put him under house arrest, and handed him a resignation speech.
It seems they wanted to replace him with his Saudi-based brother Bahaa, who is even more in the Saudis' pocket than Saad is. Apparently the Saudis don't think the PM is doing enough against Hezbollah, and thereby Iran. It looks like the coup failed after all Lebanese, including Hezbollah, called for the PM's return, remaining unified instead of turning on each other, Sunni against Shi'ite, as the Saudis planned.
I don't understand why the Western media isn't making a big noise about this incredibly aggressive and destabilizing action by one state against another in such a volatile region. It smacks of indifference towards outrageous behavior by Western ally Sunni Saudi Arabia. If Shi'ite Iran had done something similar, there would be a hue and cry both in the press and from Washington. Now I'm wondering if the Saudis got the OK from President Trump for this coup attempt. The glaring double standard won't be lost on the people of the region; indeed, it looks like business as usual.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-politics...
13
That link didn't work.
Try this one.
https://tinyurl.com/yaxo4n55
Any time the Trump administration claims to be working on a deal, any deal, but especially an Ultimate Deal, we are in big trouble.
This is what we get for electing a TV reality show star and mediocre shady businessman to be president.
He is not only making a mess in the US, he is messing up the entire world.
Ethics matter. Trump has none.
10
According to our ethics, you would not appoint family members to important positions that they were not qualified for. However, it seems to be just the thing in the Middle East. I see no point in dismissing the initiative before it has a chance to succeed or fail on its own.
2
Any US-authored plan that tacitly accepts what Israel has done in the West Bank and Gaza will show us, for the first time, how US foreign policy conflicts with established laws under the Fourth Geneva Convention, namely the following Articles:
Art. 49
The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies
Article 33.
No persons may be punished for an offense he or she has not personally committed.
Art. 53.
Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative organizations, is prohibited,
8
Israel did NOT deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies. The settlers moved to the West Bank of their own accord.
4
m1945
Israel facilitates, subsidizes, and protects settlement.
2
Really Mr.M1945? You believe that? And the military does not make that possible, easy or safe for them to do just that?
7
Peter Baker continues to report on this clown show like there's nothing unusual going on. Explain to me how Jared Kushner is not less qualified than any Georgetown undergraduate who just took a class on post-war Middle East conflicts.
5
Why does this feel like beginning of WW 3?
3
I wonder what Trump's evangelical and Catholic supporters think about the Israelis agreeing to turn East Jerusalem over to the Palestinian State, the stated Palestinian minimum condition for a peace settlement.
"It includes Jerusalem's Old City and some of the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, such as the Temple Mount, Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque, Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre." from Wikipedia.
Israel and foreign policy experts are already expecting the Syrian Government to try to recover the Golan Heights as part of their current campaign. The Israelis just shot down a Syrian surveillance drone over the GH.
This all sounds some kind of desperate "hail mary" to justify a Trump "reset" with Putin to head off SP Mueller's Russian investigations.
"We are working with Russia on peace in the Middle East and Korea and Mueller is messing it up with his fake investigation so I am firing him" Trump might say.
(BTW, what leverage does Russia have in Korea anyway?)
1
Trump doesn't do peace, he does strife, conflict.
12
He doesn't really do anything. The guy is bonkers
2
"After 10 months of educating themselves on the complexities of he world's most intractable dispute..."
The prospect of any member of the Trump administration being sufficiently open minded to become educated on, well, any issue is laugh out loud funny!
Best laugh I've had today! Too bad it's about an issue that should be treated seriously.
But, boy wonder to the rescue! I suggest he wear a cape to meetings.
16
My thoughts exactly.
6
Surely, this is a joke. Trump and Kushner are already being manipulated by Saudi Arabia, and Trump gets all his talking points from Netanyahu. And Syria and Iran are going to watch all this happen without doing anything to prevent Israel from gaining ground in any negotiations in which the table is stacked in Israel's favor?
Color me extremely skeptical.
9
Your kidding that Jared and Trump will bring peace to the Middle East. This sounds like a term paper for Trump University course. In a nutshell if he doesn't start a nuclear war and kick start several others peace in middle east should be a piece cake now that that they have a paper on it.
3
"Nobody knew the Middle East could be so complicated."
3
Oh, I'm sure this time it will work...
3
Jared Kushner to the rescue. Never mind, Jimmy Carter!
3
If this means starting another war now in Lebanon or Iran, just forget it. We have spent too much blood and treasure in the Middle East.
3
The headline "Trump Team Begins Drafting Middle East Peace Plan" made me laugh out loud. (But after that I felt like crying.)
5
Just another issue to remind you that Trump is a child in an adult's world. I'll win a Novel Prize before he figures out who all the players are in this.
Remember when the Republicans cared about diplomacy ?
5
No, Mr. Prez, the "ultimate deal" will not be your Middle East Peace Plan. It will be Robert Mueller's final "plea deal" offered to you to avoid spending your remaining days in a federal prison, say as a bunk-mate of fellow New Yorker, Bernie Madoff.
6
We have been corrupted into thinking in terms of a "deal". There is no "deal", there is just the law. If we don't resolve this conflict through the law, then we are doomed to chaos everywhere on this planet.
6
It's just something else Trump can fail at.
3
The path "to end the decades-old conflict between Israel and the Palestinians" is actually quite clear if the United States and Israel simply adhered to international law.
The giant concrete walls that Israel has built around itself (on Palestinian land, of course) are a sure sign of land stealing, dispossession, illegal Israeli settlement, and the main aim to break what remains of Palestine into fragmented bits so that Israel can finally take all of Palestine and get rid of all the Arabs once and for all.
Israel is an apartheid state, just like South Africa was.
But the US is always the one veto in the UN to protect Israel.
The real issue with Israel and Saudi Arabia is that the US, a government that includes separation of church and state, should not be supporting states that deny freedom of religion to all citizens, whether they be “Islamic states”, “Jewish states”, or “Christian states”.
The complicity of too many governments providing arms and supporting Israeli attacks/bombs/walls etc is about as far from sensible as it gets: there are bombs dropping on civilians all over the middle east, we've got the US picking sides and supporting/inciting war for the sake of arms deals while claiming they are 'humanitarians' trying to end the destruction.
International law declares that ALL Israeli settlements encroaching over the established "line" are illegal. Until those settlements are removed - then there's little chance of any chance of real discussion, legal, or otherwise.
11
Well-said! It is refreshing to read logic from someone who has refused to be brainwashed.
2
Maybe Trump wants to use Israels expertise in building a wall
3
@ robert west
The border around Gaza is 39 miles long (62 km); the U.S.-Mexico border is 1,989 miles (3,201 km). So what’s the plan? Build a Vietnam-style ‘electronic fence’, which didn’t work either (and Vietnam was only about 50 miles wide at the DMZ)? The whole notion is just a joke.
But Trump is already using plenty of Israeli expertise like using racist statements to rally the base and calling for the families of terrorists to be murdered.
However, the “pro-Israel” stance is one of those issues (like marijuana legalization & police state opposition) that should unite the Republican and Democratic bases. It’s an establishment vs. the people issue. The establishment wants to prop up Israel. Most regular Americans couldn’t care less about Israel.
7
What is taking them so long? Thank God for Jared. He is going to save the world.
2
These walking mediocrities are going to effect peace in the Middle East? Oh puh-leeze. Trump knows nothing about statesmanship or diplomacy. Or delicacy.
6
When I see the array of foreign policy expertise lined up for this effort, the Dunning-Kruger effect comes to mind.
"The Dunning-Kruger Effect is defined as 'a cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than is accurate. This bias is attributed to a metacognitive inability to recognize their own ineptitude.'”
8
Political Goliaths have tried and failed.
What is there to lose if a minor character tries. Go for it.
1
Judge Judy would be less risible than Trump.
2
Considering all the "winning " he's been doing wrecking the environment and healthcare, we have plenty to lose.
3
It can't do worse than all previous attempts.
People, just be constructive enough to hope for the best. Too many people have suffered for too long. Too many lives lost. Too many people living with intense stress.
Impasse doesn't benefit anyone.
1
It could be much, much worse...
1
Greenblatt: “We are not going to put an artificial timeline on the development or presentation of any specific ideas and will also never impose a deal."
Israel is a nuclear weapons state having remarkably strong conventional forces. The Palestinians are a people under occupation. As this article exposes the Israelis also have very significant influence within the US Executive and Legislative branches. What incentives do the Israelis have to pursue serious negotiations? Without American will to impose a deal absolutely nothing will be accomplished.
6
Seems that people like johnny don't like that the jews have the ability to defend themselves, how sad for them. Hey johnny, there's 400 million arabs and 70 million persians aligned against 6 million jews, why don't you tell us again who is the aggrieved party...
5
Simple: The Palestinians, held under occupation for 50 years, denied statehood and citizenship. And we call the people of Iran Iranians now, not Persians. The was back when they ruled the world's first empire, stretching from India to Egypt and including the Levant where Hebrews/Israelites were among the many tribes they ruled.
1
I personally know one of the advisors on Trump's Middle Eastern team, who, on condition of anonymity, has shared with me the basic elements of his plan.
First, President Trump will pressure all the relevant parties to the negotiating table by publicly insulting every Arab leader and religious group. Then he'll deploy commandos, on secret missions, to infiltrate palace grounds and put starch in the royal families' thawbs.
If that doesn't work, his team is prepared to escalate to itching powder and then to thermonuclear attacks on every Middle Eastern country that does not house one of Trump's luxury resorts.
Ultimately, with all the leaders then eager to negotiate, it should be easy to get an agreement. And so, it is putting Trump's unique talents to work which will secure him success when all other Presidents have failed.
5
Mr. Kushner, have you heard of the State Department and a man called Tillerson? Did he authorize your work on this?
10
If the West does not protect Palestinian rights under the law, then this will be a god-send to the ISIL recruiters.
7
Lebanon is about to explode. Turkey is festering. Yemen is experiencing genocide. Saudi Arabia is going postal. Pakistan probably gave the the Saudis nuclear weapons. Iran threatening Israel constantly. Qatar, the Gulf States, The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt, Gaza, The Palestinians, Iraq, Israel, the non existent state of Syria, Jorden trying not to misstep, Iraq, the Kurds and well I could go on.
Oh, the Russians of coarse.
And Kushner is gonna put Humpdy Dumpty back together again..??
They’re kidding, right? Please God tell me they’re kidding !!!!!
13
Stop with the "sky is falling" nonsense.
2
My mother's oncologist told her she was a hypochondriac. My mother replied that even hypochrondiacs get cancer.
In my mother's case, chicken little was right; it took 6 months for her metastatic ovarian cancer to be diagnosed.
Don't belittle the worries or concerns of other people.
Explain why he is wrong with facts. Don't dismiss his comment without proof.
Jared whose alleged advise to fire Comey, put Trump ever closer to impeachment; who also has over a billion dollar loan coming due next year or so on his money losing ‘666’ building; and with zero foreign policy, diplomatic or legal experience, aside from being Trump’s de-facto chief of everything, is now supposed to to fix the Middle East.
7
Trump brokering a middle east peace plan is as plausible as Trump using diplomacy to deter North Korean nuclear proliferation.
4
To be fair, neither Sasha's or Malia's boyfriend's even attempted to solve this issue.
29
An important step towards peace would be for the U.S. and other countries to end all diplomatic and financial aid to Israel until they agree to give up all claims to territory taken in war, that is, the settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, Gaza. And stop shooting at farmers and fishermen in Gaza or off its coast. Those claims are illegal anyway (as is the shooting of Palestinian farmers and fishermen), as are any funds going to support those claims.
8
"After 10 months of educating themselves on the complexities of the world’s most intractable dispute, White House officials said, Mr. Trump’s team of relative newcomers to Middle East peacemaking has moved into a new phase of its venture..."
Where'd they go for their education? Trump University???
9
You really are giving them a lot of credit. Educating themselves? hardly!
1
I can hardly contain my excitement as I wait for the Kushner Plan for Middle East Peace.
6
The Trump team should worry about straightening out their own backyard. Can't pass decent healthcare, weekly mass shootings because nobody will discuss ANY new gun legislation, it looks like the tax plan will go down in flames. But yes - of course worry about the middle east peace plan. Trump's "team" instills zero confidence in over 2/3 of America - but of course they should have the confidence of people half a world away. My final thought is - what is in this for Trump's team? Trump, and his cronies do nothing that does not somehow improve their own situation.
11
I suspect the Palestinians have the same expectation that a group of Orthodox Jews and an Egyptian Christian (not Muslim) will have their interests at heart as much Northern Irish nationalists expect the DUP in power in Westminister to have theirs at heart.
3
This is the first time I support what the administration is attempting and wish them success here. Hopefully, they're all locked up after with the rest of the GOP.
2
In the photo, Trump appears to be totally confused. Kushner ( senior adviser?) is a close second in confusion. Of course, this is par for the course.
3
For almost seventy years, the best and most experienced American diplomats have tried to help bring peace to the Middle East and failed over and over again. Why is it that I have no faith in a thirtysomething son-in-law installed in his position as a result of nepotism and not because he brings special skills to the table? Kushner might be wiser to avoid trying to play Henry Kissinger and to stay in more contact with his attorney. I suspect that he may need him soon.
6
So, 70 years and they all fail.
Now you don't want to give this boy a chance.
1
At this point, probably easier to establish peace in the Middle East than peace in the U.S.
4
I could learn advanced trigonometry faster than Trump and Co. could bring peace to the Middle East. Which is to say, in about a century.
5
I'm not sure what you mean by "advanced trigonometry," since trigonometry is pre-calculus.
1
There's one silver lining here: at least Hillary Clinton isn't conducting foreign policy anymore.
10
It'll be a really really good plan, the best ever, believe me !
6
Trump’s plan will likely fit in tweet and propose a Muslim ban in Israel.
9
Let’s get real. The Russian oligarchs are all over Israel.
6
This is a sham exercise. Trump has thrown his lot in with Israeli right wing and the police states of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. He cares not at all for the rights of the Palestinians. His proposal will reflect all that.
18
From the Trump Shuttle to Trump shuttle diplomacy. Same outcome.
7
How will Trump and Kushner be able to see such an ambitious and intricate "Peace Plan" through to fruition? The former ex-Prez will have already vacated the White House through impeachment, indictment, or resignation while the latter wunderkind will be stuck back in New York, under house arrest, awaiting trial for any number of Russian-related offenses. Who knew it could be so complicated.
9
War criminals are supposed to bring peace in the Middle East?
Saudis are committing war crimes against Yemenis and we support their crimes.
The unilateral support of the US for the apartheid regime of Israel would not bring peace to the middle east.
Whenever a terrorist attack happens in the US, we should remember our actions in the middle east.
19
So you are parading that tired pony named "War Criminals," which has, really, only one legitimate reference, that being the crimes of the Axis powers during WW II.
Not only that, but you are attempting to justify acts of terrorism by militant Islamic cults such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
1
in 20-25 years there will be 1 million settlers living in the west bank.if that happens for all intents and purposes israel will not be a jewish state but a muslim-jewish state.i would hope the right wingers see this senario and do not let it happen.
Wow! Just Wow!
Will someone remind me of just ONE item that went to successful, productive completion once anyone from Messrs. Trump, Kushner and Accomplices touched it?
And here we are talking about the multi-variable calculus of all diplomacy, ever - the ongoing Middle Eastern kerfuffle - that this rather inexperienced, and quite clueless crowd (using the word Team instead will insult all teams, past, present and in the future) is trying to solve!
24
Even dime spent on this futile endeavor, down to the photocopies and printer ink, should be matched and disbursed to the still homeless victims of the storms and fires our nation has suffered. Or to treatment for opioid addicts. Or to the families of victims of gun violence. Or to, well, any American who has bigger problems than what the Israelis and Palestinians do to each other and will keep doing to each other regardless of what the Trump family says or does.
6
Annie Dooley, It matters what the Israelis and Palestinians do to each other, because the U.S. citizens pay the price for our support of whatever Israel does. And, I don't mean just the 100 billion that the US has given Israel. Look at the map of Israeli territory in 1918 and look at it today. The Palestinians are being expunged from their homeland. The people with the most advanced weaponry American taxpayer money can buy is trampling a people who have no army. Seen as Israel's enabler by most of the world, America is hated. The Iraq war neutralized Israel's then worst enemy and germinated Isis. We desperately need peace between Israel and Palestine.
3
Well we always knew SOMETHING was missing which prevented peace in the Middle East. Now we know what the missing secret ingredient was all along: a plan by Donald Trump and Jared Kushner. If only we had had it sooner, who knows how many senseless deaths might have been avoided.
8
`Trump Team Begins Drafting Plan for Middle East Peace'
Have they located it?
6
I assume the path to peace in the middle east will start with fabulous tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans?
22
Yes and Mitch McConnell just issued another correction. You and I are going to pay for this peace. You're going to love it. It's sure to create jobs in Tel Aviv.
1
Good luck with this. It has been festering since my childhood and there is a very strong likelihood that this will be yet another Trump failure. However, the long shot chance of a lasting peace is always worth a try. However, I am certainly not holding my breath.
2
If the U.S. had treated Israel as it would have treated any other occupying nation peace would have been achieved shortly after the 1967 war. The Balfour Declaration gave the Zionists a tiny speck of Palestine with the provision that the indigenous people should not be displaced. Jews were 10% of the population in Palestine at that time. The Israeli land grab accelerated after Oslo even when Labor ruled. Isis has turned the world's attention away from the plight of the Palestinians. This problem should be settled at the UN. The UN created Israel, now let them create the state of Palestine. The US must step aside as it has never been an honest broker. The US is regarded as Israel's enabler. It is safer for the US to disengage from this conflict.
10
Expect to see publicity around this “plan” ratchet up as Bob Mueller starts indicting people closer and closer to the President.
6
Fair enough. Unfortunately, I have little confidence in either the skills or motives of the Trump administration, the Israelis, or the Palestinians. I confess I’m stumped. What are your constructive suggestions? I really am listening.
2
Of course I'd love to see a stop to this ultimately senseless conflict, whether from covfefe, or Kushner, or President Clinton, or Sanders, or Obama, or the other President Clinton, or Carter, or a month-old food cart ham sandwich that just washed ashore; but this illegitimate, viciously-anti-Muslim, pro-Netanyahu regime gives me no or negative confidence.
Bernie is Jewish, but understands that peace between the two parties will need to involve some giving to the Palestinians too. They've suffered too, in part from their own inept-when-not-worse governments, and in part from Israeli colonial, military, and economic aggression that whittles away what land they can have. By contrast, Prince Jared was talking...something...with the Sauds[1] that is apparently touching off an imminent war with (more) neighbors. Yeah.
All in all, hard to have a peaceful climate for a peaceful coexistence when the forecast is cloudy with a chance of annexation by missile. (That goes for both the parties and the Sauds.)
[1] See, they're not ALL anti-Muslim. They like the most dangerous iron-fisted fundamentalist ones in power, so that counts right?
5
Yeah, lets see if they export America's policy, making sure everyone in the Middle East is armed.... you know, to make things safer.
7
Since everything Trump touches turns to ashes, the Middle East is an a heap of trouble.
9
As a Jew, can I suggest that perhaps the combination of of an Orthodox Jew (no offense whatsoever intended) and questionable real estate dealings, are not the best combination in the diplomacy department as far as the Middle East goes. I'll credit Colbert for that observation. I'd love to see peace in the Middle East in my lifetime, but I'm not getting my hopes up.
9
Golly. What could go wrong? Sigh.
8
Among the larger unknowns here are foreign policy expert Mr. Kushner and master negotiator Mr. Trump. Clearly the less influence they have the better. Clearly they will demand the lion's share of the credit, no matter how miniscule their own contributions are. If Trump and Kushner ever become aware of the fact that that they are merely continuing President Obama's efforts and abiding by President Obama's principles, then the plan is dead in the water. Everything Trump does must subscribe to the largest and most consistent theme of this administration--racial resentment--and its subsidiary goal, namely erasing the accomplishments of the first black president.
4
I appreciate the laughter some find in this article & "plan."
Seeing the photo this morning & again now just makes me ill.
That "jared" the son-in-law who got into harvard because his parents donated a couple million, that he has a security clearance despite conspiring w/the russians, is married to the grifter-princess, is a slumlord and that we the tax payers are paying for all this posturing nonsense is disgusting.
That it may endanger more lives is deplorable.
31
Ever notice how recent Republican drafts, i.e., immigration, healthcare, tax legislation, never seem to leave the "draft" stage. Even some of Mr.Trump's ex part "executive orders", over which he has complete control, have been released, litigated and blocked while never leaving the unfinished status of "drafts".
2
They are preparing for war not peace. The world oligarchy is losing its grip, it seems that they are preparing for the mother of all wars and the largest miscalculation ever!
Should be obvious from the Trump presidency, that ignorant corrupt persons are not capable of solving any problems. If they had to compete in a free market, they would never survive.
Peace comes with solving real problems. As long as the military industry is the only beneficiary, we will suffer!
1
What can we expect from a Kushner/Trump/Israel "deal?" Answer: The next Trump Hotel/golf course, built on stolen Palestinian land no doubt.
12
The land was not stolen.
4
When Palestinians finally get around to accepting the permanency of the Jewish State of Israel, they will get a state of their own that one day may do them and Muslims around the world proud. Failing that, they will get nothing but the satisfaction of killing a few more Israelis, from time to time. The choice is theirs.
6
The Palestinians have recognized the State of Israel's right to exist "in peace and security," most recently in 1993. You can read those documents as I did on the website of the Israeli Foreign Ministry. So, now what? They should have gotten a state long ago by your lights. PS - the name of the entity recognized by all parties who do so around the world is the State of Israel; if Netanyahu wants it to be recognized by another title, he'll have to change the name.)
2
"In peace and security" for how long and not as a Jewish state?
Sorry Sharpshin, that doesn't cut it.
3
Doesn't cut it? According to you, which means what? It was formal recognition that met all diplomatic standards and was to have been met by a like recognition of the State of Palestine. The "Jewish" state business is a latter day requirement posed by Netanyahu to move the goalposts, nothing more. No other world nation recognizes anything other than the State of Israel, period. Change the name if it's really a religious enclave and not a nation "of all its inhabitants" as its own declaration of independence claims.
1
The government of Israel is led by extreme right-wing politicians, including Avigdor Lieberman, Naftali Bennett, Tzipi Hotevly, Bezalel Smotrich, and others. They are their settler followers are determined to expel Palestinians from Israel and the territories. Negotiations with them would be similar to negotiating with extreme anti-abortionists. The only way to deal with this government is to cut off all financial and military aid.
4
Every time Israel offers to end the occupation, the Palestinians say “No!”
Even Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia (certainly not a Zionist) said that Arafat’s refusal to accept the January 2001 offer was a crime. Thousands of people would die because of Arafat’s decision & not one of those deaths could be justified.
As Clinton later wrote in his memoir:
It was historic: an Israeli government had said that to get peace, there would be a Palestinian state in roughly 97 percent of the West Bank, counting the [land] swap, and all of Gaza, where Israel also had settlements. The ball was in Arafat’s court.
But Arafat would not, or could not, bring an end to the conflict. “I still didn’t believe Arafat would make such a colossal mistake,” Clinton wrote. “The deal was so good I couldn’t believe anyone would be foolish enough to let it go.” But the moment slipped away. “Arafat never said no; he just couldn’t bring himself to say yes.”
3
The government of Israel today is very different from the one in office in 2001. Once Bibi leaves, it will move further to the right.
1
Four Palestinian cantons separated by confiscated land claimed by Israel. No airspace or water rights. And extremely unequal swap of land, Israeli settlements on the most fertile West Bank land in exchange for a nuclear waste dump in the Negev. Yeah, such a deal. Such a good deal.
Does anyone else find a certain irony that this administration that is hell bent on causing civil strife through incitement and divisive policies in our own country has ambitions of solving probably one of the most difficult conflicts of our time? Let's hope they don't take the same tactics they use here to the Middle East. It'll go up in flames in a matter of minutes.
6
A peace plan for the Middle East is like tax reform for the middle class - it ain't gonna happen any time soon - if at all. The Trump "Team" is filled with neoconservative holdovers from the Clinton, Bush and Obama Administrations, and the goal of them all has nothing to do with peace - and everything to do with strategic control over the ME's vast resources and maintaining forces in place to protect our strategic interests. "Interests" is the happy euphemism for oil and natural gas. "Peace Plan" is likewise the euphemism for not letting another competitor nation gain a foothold in the region. We have to dominate the Middle East - either by our own troops or by our proxy armies - Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the "friendly" terrorist groups that Hillary liked so much - you know the ones…ISIS and the Syrian Freedom Fighters helping us in our attempt to overthrow Assad, and toss out the Iranian religious leaders - aka Nuclear Nutcases. Our competitors are China and Russia, hence all the bruhaha over Putin and the phony hacking meme that helped keep Hillary out of the White House, and with China it's all about "unfair trading practices."
Since we still haven't fixed Iraq, have left Libya a complete disaster, have been killing folks in Afghanistan for 16 years, have blown trillions of dollars in the process…forget about the Peace Plan. Forget about tax reform. And don't forget healthcare - you can forget about that, too.
1
You wrote. "The Trump "Team" is filled with neoconservative holdovers from the Clinton, Bush and Obama Administrations, . . ."
And with whom would you prefer to replace them? Sean Hannity and Richard Spencer? Trump's team is bad enough, but it could certainly be much worse.
Come to think of it, however, it is unclear whether your criticism is from the Right or from the Left. The difference, these days, is that while the Right is a truly dangerous conspiracy against everything that makes us civilized, what passes for the Left is merely a salon.
Will the final draft of this plan be limited to 140 characters?
7
After his recent "triumphs" in successfully re-negotiating NAFTA, the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris Climate Accord, a Middle East peace is the next obvious step for President Trump.
3
Lets see, Kushner is pro-Israel. We can expect a plan that the Palestinians cannot accept because it takes their homeland away from them and give it to Israel. What we should be doing is enforcing the original UN Plan that Israel agreed to. That plan would require Israeli to remove their settlements from the Palestinian areas and stop the blockade of Gaza. What we will see is something that is fair to both sides. But them Israel will not accept anything that the expulsion of the Palestinians.
4
In 1929, Palestinians ethnically cleansed Hebron & Gaza of their Jews.
In 1948, Arabs ethnically cleansed the West Bank & East Jerusalem of their Jews. ZERO Jews were left in Gaza, the West Bank or East Jerusalem. Israel could have ethnically cleansed all the Arabs from Israel, but Israel didn’t. There are now 1.6 million Arabs living in Israel.
6
I am not even convinced that all involved individuals can find the Middle East on an unmarked map.
18
Thanks for the laugh guys, needed it after this week.
10
All I can say to them is, "good luck." As a good analogy, look at the intractable gun control debate in the U.S. Now, instead of coming for your guns, imagine that the government is coming for your land and your home. Good luck figuring that one out.
31
There is no gun debate.
The right to bear arms is enshrined in the US Constitution. If you want to control it, elect enough Democrats into Congress to propose a constitutional amendment.
On the other hand, continued occupation of and war against the Palestinians aren't enshrined in Israel's constitution. So there is better hope there than in the US.
1
Israel has no constitution, only a collection of basic laws, many of which disadvantage Arab citizens and give advantages to Jewish citizens.
Lots of crazy stuff being pulled by the Saudi's in partnership with the Trump Administration, and they also hold Egypt hostage to their pocketbook, but they are just flailing around here with a naive wannabe Crown Prince who is being tempted with a war with Iran to deliver Palestinians to as payoff to Mr. Kusher.
The new great game, another "peace to end all peace" for a few more generations.
2
How is it that almost no one here has anything constructive to say about a peace process? Pretty much almost all that I have been seeing is Trump-bashing.
1
Because this "team" deserves it. They've earned it at home and abroad. Open your eyes, Mike.
3
Well, the article is about the absurd notion that Trump & Kushner are going to solve a conflict that has been unsolvable by experts for decades, with no experience or obvious talent for negotiation. So, not sure who esle folks are gonna bash.
2
This group of keystone cops can’t get out of their own way. The chance of the Trump administration coming up with any kind of peace plan, let alone see it to fruition, is laughable at best.
4
These amateurs are going to deliver the peace deal of the century to the Middle East? Show me results, not promises. But in any event, Israel and Palestine are not the 51st and 52nd states of this American union.
I am more interested in a 'peace deal' that will cause a cessation of attacks by Trump and the Republicans against women, a 'peace deal' that will stop their attacks against minorities and immigrants, and stop their attacks against affordable health care for the working class.
And last but certainly not least, a cease fire of the full frontal attack against Planet Earth. The way it is going now, I do not want to even visualize what this planet will look like in 200 years - the prospects look grim, if not horrifying.
6
Why don't we let, Kellyanne Con-artist, go over to the Middle East and double talk them all, until everyone's heads explode like she does here on the Sunday Morning shows, and that should solve everything.
8
In June 2014 Fatah and Hamas announced a Palestinian unity government, which received international recognition and praise (including from the US). Netanyahu was furious because a prospect of peace became a real threat to his West bank objectives. So he used a vicious attack on Gaza to drive a wedge into the Palestinian's new unity government.
Now in 2017 Fatah and Hamas have re-united and again pose a real threat to Netanyahu's colonization agenda. Peace is simply not acceptable. So this time he recruits the Kushner/Greenblatt/Friedman team to come up with a ludicrous proposal for a 2 state solution in order to shock and divide the Palestinians.
2
Palestinians had fired thousands of rockets killing or injuring 2,000 Israelis.
The purpose of the war was to stop those rockets.
6
The Israeli purpose of the 2014 Gaza war was to (once again) "mow the lawn". The violence was intentionally provoked by Netanyahu.
In June of that year IDF made incursions in the West Bank, ostensibly looking for a few Palestinian criminals, killing at least 6 innocent Palestinian demonstrators, arresting over 400 Palestinians without charge, and demolishing homes. Spurred on by some inflammatory statements from Netanyahu, Israeli extremists kidnapped and burned to death a Palestinian teenager. This was followed by the IDF brutal beating of that same teen's cousin (a horror scene caught on video).
To Netanyahu's delight furious Palestinians rioted in the West Bank and Hamas militants launched a wave of 40 rockets from Gaza into Israel. This gives Netanyahu his excuse to start killing thousands of innocent Palestinian men, women and children in Gaza.
1
A bold lie. 29 Israelis have been killed by rockets from Gaza in the last 10 years. 2,104 Palestinians were killed, half of them civilians and nearly 500 children, in the 2014 Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
1
The Palestinian people desire their own state, with a capital in Jerusalem. That is the plain and simple truth, and nothing is wrong in that. Displaced people need to be replaced and secured. The far right people in Israel should just realize the ages old contention needs to be put aside. Sadly, they seem not to be able to do this.
4
Why didn't Palestinians declare their own state before 1967?
4
Palestinians were offered a state in 1922 (San Remo ), 1937 (Peel Commision), 1947 (UN Partition), 1967 (Khartoum 3 no's), Taba, Camp David, Olmert. It is clear they do not want a state.
1
Did you hear of the Balfour Declaration in 1917?
You may want to read some history about the conflict and the role of the imperialist powers in the region for the last 100 years
5
I don't trust Netanayu who made it clear he did NOT want a Two State Solution. He has expanded the Settlements on Occupied Lands. Nor do I trust Kushner who besides being linked to Russia, has donated money towards the Illegal Settlements.
5
In 2001 President Bush said of Vladimir Putin, "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy." And now President Trump trusts Putin more than he trusts the heads of his own intelligence agencies. ["Trump Says Putin ‘Means It’ About Not Meddling in U.S. Elections"; Nov. 11, 2017]
Currently posted online by the B.B.C.: "The US State Department has employed a private firm set up by a veteran Soviet-era spy to provide security for its Moscow embassy and diplomatic missions in Russia....The US has now signed a contract with Elite Security Holdings, founded by the ex-KGB General Viktor Budanov. General Budanov was a close friend of British spy and defector Kim Philby." http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41947030 (I learned of this on Friday from the B.B.C., and as of early Sunday morning, there is still no mention of this in the Times.)
Political and policy differences with the President are one thing. However, a fundamental inability to learn to differentiate friend from foe, to even understand what constitutes collaboration with a foe is a mortal danger to America itself, no matter what one's political and policy perspectives. A President who believes American policy should be made on the basis of what Vladimir Putin says and not on the basis of what Directors of the F.B.I., C.I.A. and National Intelligence have said is unfit to uphold his sworn Constitutional duty to protect America. And that is true whatever your political perspective.
3
Jews and Arabs have a 4,000 to 5,000 year history. Mr. Abbas and Mr. Netanyahu would just as soon see the other one dead as trust him. So, how does anyone get a workable deal that would actually being a lasting peace to the Middle East?
How would anyone go about getting a deal with the Arabs that they would publicly reject their long stated goal to destroy the Jewish State and actually mean it?
1
I literally have vertigio these days from shaking my head so much.
1
Our Nationalist President will do what is most expedient for him: declare victory and go home.
1
Hey, Trump supporters.
I just have to ask:
How's that America-Firsty stuff working out for ya?
7
The only solution to the Israeli-Pakestinian impasse is one that should be imposed by the UN, by force if need be, as it was when the state of Israel was created.
One hundred years after the Balfour Declaration a great part of it is still to be fulfilled.
Israel does n´t want peace, it wants " Greater Israel "
6
Israel was created to be a majority-Jewish state.
Adding territory containing millions of non-Jews will make Jews a minority.
2
the Arabs don't want peace, nor do they want Israel (to exist)
2
Experienced people have experience only in failing to get any deal. In fact, most of them are experienced at deliberately avoiding a deal.
There is no hope to be had with the crowd of those with experience.
However, basic competence is another matter. Kushner? His problem is not lack of experience.
5
What about the Saudi's and Hezbollah? Is the plan attack Lebanon? I mean what can Kushner possibly offer, other than money?
2
Jared Kushner? Really? I mean, I'd like to find just one qualified A-teamer in this administration. Just one.
16
Fabulous. Let me know how that works for ya.
7
It would be more hopeful and productive if Trump would assemble a team to draft a Peace Plan for the United States.
Perhaps to re-enfranchise the disaffected, to parse out a little power to the powerless, to encourage comity and amity and cooperation, to foster unity, to re-unite, to assure fairness and equity and honesty in the business culture, to promote and fund education and health, and to be a leading part of healing a very sick earth.
To think that these people can quiet the blood dispute between Shia and Sunni, solve the conflict between Israel's desire for more (and more secure) physical space from peoples determined not to yield it, and rid the region of the corrosive and disruptive Russian influence is beyond disingenuous, beyond vainglory, beyond delusion. But that's nothing new for this crowd.
80
Dear sir or madam WM, I like your letter!!
Very nice letter.
The Likud Charter includes:
“Safeguarding the right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel as an eternal, inalienable right, working diligently to settle and develop all parts of the land of Israel, and extending national sovereignty to them.”
The other parties to the coalition have even more extremist objectives.
The believers include Kushner, Greenblatt, and Friedman.
9
Yes, the "Land of Israel" includes all of the Palestinian areas.
1
Israel signed peace treaties with Jordan & Egypt even though that meant giving up large parts of Biblical Israel because Israel values peace more than it values territory.
3
Jeff -- and well it should.
I’m sure this is nothing that Jared Kushner can’t handle....
5
Look how well he's done with the infrastructure.......Well it'll give him
something to do when he finishes with his trial.
3
Yeah Kenneth except that secret back channel to Russia through the Russian Embassy.
This administration can't even keep decent working relationships amongst themselves or with Congress. But sure, under the leadership of a 30 year old trust fund baby they're going to solve the most thorny diplomatic problem of modern times. I can't wait.
15
The complexity of dealing with the Middle East has defied any and all US Administrations, ever since the formation of the State of Israel in 1948. The best trained negotiators have failed to deal with the warring 'tribes' of the ME countries, as if they are working with 'nations'?.
Here is the ominous list again:
1- All Arab countries and tribes hate Israel, and its arrogance
2-The unifying force of almost all Arab countries in the MENA has been one of hate and suspicion against Israel and the West.
3-US' almost total commitment to Israel," Israel right or wrong", has so infuriated Arab Countries, there is no trust for the US as an impartial dealer with the Israel-Palestine issue
4-Add to these the centuries old Sunni-Shi'a conflict, that often can be worse than their hate for Israel, now taken on the ominous turn between the hegemonies of Iran vs Saudi Arabia (as in Yemen)
6-The radical Islam phenomena, propagating terror, worldwide by the Jihadist movement
7-the autocratic leaders of EVERY Arab country who cares little for its own people( except Lebanon)
8-the constant meddling of the former USSR, and todays Putin, frustrating any efforts of mediation in the ME by the West
9.....
Now add to this the clueless Jared Kushner, who is supposed to be the next 'reconciler', under the guidance of the ignorant and utterly naïve foreign affairs 'specialist', his father-in-law, Mr Trump... and the West still hopes for peace in the ME...
5
"Non-papers." They are sure bending over backward to avoid anything that looks like a normal process. I suspect that they will be rewarded with "non-success."
3
Hey Donny
Be sure and get a pat on the head from papa Putin before making any mideast decisions, an area you understand so well. Who knew you could understand "Good Donny! Sit!" in Russian? Bet Vladimir gives you some nice treats.
5
Trump, Kim, Putin, Jinping, Netanyahu, Duterte all harsh autocratic leader from the cloth of fascism. Why can't they just get along?
5
I can just imagine the plan.
"Hey, pass me another napkin."
3
The path forward for peace has one big obstacle - Netanyahu. War mongering keeps his ultra right wing coalition in power. Peace would be its demise.
8
David....You're taking this all too seriously........
1
Why was there no peace before Netanyahu?
Prime Minister Netanyahu was once a house guest at Jared Kushner's home, so that makes him the most qualified person in the Trump administration to broker peace in the Middle East? Oh brother. I'm sure he will be able to perform miracles.
10
We have the worst president in our history, rejected by the people and chosen by political hacks, but if he can do this it will be a major achievement. Comments dowplaying the Israel/Palestine war are surprizing since it is about the only conflict likely to draw nuclear powers into the mix. Any reasonable person can devise a fair solution, the problem is to get agreement among the parties who gain so much from a war footing in which all give up something in return or peace. Fix this problem and stop burning oil and the mid east becomes insignificant to us.
1
On December 2, 1947 the University of Al-Azhar religious scholars, the most respected in the Sunni Muslim word, called for holy war against the Zionists.
How can any good Muslim make peace with Israel?
In what alternate universe does it make sense for people to kill and waste trillions of dollars because of a decision from a university nobody ever heard of? How about throwing $10 million dollars at that university in exchange for updating the holy war memo?
You can expect to hear (once again) that both sides in the conflict need to compromise. This concept is incessantly put forward in the interests of only one party to the conflict and impinges on the interests of the other party.
The Palestinians have very little, if anything, they need to offer as a compromise. They have international law on their side. Re-enforcing that is the Muslim deep commitment to justice.
We do not ask the victim to make compromises with the thief. We do not trade in stolen goods.
13
Palestinians have been oppressing Jews for centuries.
In 1839, the British consul, William Young, said that the poor Jew in Jerusalem...lives from day to day in terror of his life....Young attributed the plight of the Jew in Jerusalem to “the blind hatred and ignorant prejudice of a fanatical populace,”
JEWS IN JERUSALEM.
New York Times December 29, 1878
Crowded together in the worst lodgings, or in the dark cellars under a synagogue building, without food, fuel, or water –even water at Jerusalem being a commodity of price – numbers died of starvation and various diseases, while others went raving mad. Those who could labor were denied employment by the bigotry of the Mussulmans and of the Oriental Christians.
Notice the date. This was before the first Zionists arrived in Palestine. Notice the word bigotry.
Jews had lived for centuries in Hebron & Gaza until they were ethnically cleansed from those areas in 1929.
During the week of riots from 23 to 29 August, 133 Jews were killed by Arabs and 339 others were injured,
and now Palestinians oppress Israelis
Running over Israelis is oppression.
Stabbing Israelis is oppression.
Shooting Israelis is oppression.
Firing rockets at Israelis is oppression.
Blowing up Israelis is oppression.
Throwing rocks at Israelis is oppression.
3
Greg, I truly hope that you remove those ideological blinders when crossing a busy street. They are every bit as hazardous as texting.
1
So, only Trump and Kushner will be able to end an 8,000 year old conflict? Uh..... I don't think so.
7
8,000 year old conflict? No, more like a 100 year old conflict. There was no real inter-religious conflict in the Levant before Zionists were given the green light to move en masse to a land that had been Arab Muslim for more than 1,300 years. You're referring to the Hebrew invasion and conquest of Canaanite territory and its capital of Jerusalem? That would be roughly 3,200 years ago. 8,000 years ago predates even the Canaanites, established as the dominant culture in the Levant some 5,200 years ago. So what are you talking about, exactly?
2
Haha!! That's the funniest headline I've read in ages. Literally LOLing over here.
9
The skepticism of the commentators is well founded. Ending the conflict between Israel and Palestine is a worthy pursuit but after 65 years the two countries are as far apart as ever.
Maybe Trump is looking for "discussion points" for the next election or else he feels that such a move gives him some leverage with leaders of Arab nations.
2
There will be no peace until Netanyahu and Abbas are gone from the scene. Netanyahu doesn't have the fortitude to stand up to the Israeli right, and Abbas is too old and laden down with baggage and corruption (actually, so is Netanyahu when it comes to corruption) to bring the Palestinians around. And neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians would be willing to commit to the ultimate compromise that would move peace talks forward - splitting the old city of Jerusalem so Israel controls the Western Wall and Palestine the Haram al-Sherif. Be prepared for status quo current bellum for another generation - or two, or three.
3
Hey Barry....April Fools...don't waste your time
Mr. Kushner would be better served by focusing on his defense for when he is inevitably indicted for money laundering and conspiracy against the United States. If he were smart he would maintain the lowest possible profile and stop pretending to be something he isn't, namely experienced and competent. If I were Rex Tillerson I would be ripping my hair out in clumps.
14
Reading the comments is rather disappointing. Lots of readers are pointing out that Kushner has no experience, that Trump is not taken seriously by anybody, that Netanyahu is an impediment.
All true, but what about the blatant fact that three out of the four people who are supposed to lead the negotiations between the Jewish state and Palestine are Orthodox Jews with close ties to the former? What kind of mediation can be expected by people who are so obviously biased for personal reasons towards one of the two sides?
16
An "American Blueprint" developed by Trump Advisors and designated by our Great President as "the ultimate Deal".
Apparently, Trump is the only one who can solve the Mideast Problem just like he is the only one that can solve all our domestic problems.
The fact that it is an "American Blueprint" condemns it to failure just like all the other agreements and accords of past Administrations.
There is an overall attitude of arrogance in the presumption that the United States has the right ideas that will fix the Middle East. No wander Muslims and many Israelis hate our country.
6
Didn't The Onion already report this?
Perhaps Trump can twitter a peace deal together?
4
touché
The trump family and kushner solving any problem is a good script for a Monty Python show. Thinking that they have the ability to even understand the Israel-Palestine conflict is more absurd than a Monte Python fantasy.
2
Hopefully, they'll do no harm in the region and you never know, according to the NYT, team trump's listening tour has gained them credibility. Imagine the headlines if they were advancing mid-east peace as the indictments are being handed down. Sad!
Anyone who has read the editorials in Kushner's paper, The NY Observer, knows that he is very hostile to Iran and extremely pro-Israel. Any involvement by Kushner in the Middle East is bad news for all but Israel.
8
Relax....He'll be in jail.
2
So many anti-Trump trolls here. Without even giving his team a chance, these experts seem to know it all. I guess they have to do that after Obama's dismal failures.
You've got to stay out of the sun.........you are beginning to imagine
that trumpy has actually done something in one year.......
3
You've got to be kidding.
35
So, the new team in charge of mediating between Israelis and Palestinians is lead by Jared Kushner, an Orthodox Jew whose family has a personal acquaintance with Benjamin Netanyahu; the Chief Negotiator between the parties will be Mr. Greenblatt, another Orthodox Jew; and Mr. Friedman, who is again an Orthodox Jew and the current US ambassador to Israel, will help in drafting the plan.
Are we supposed to take this seriously, or is it a satirical piece? Let me suggest a more appropriate heading for this piece of news: "Hahaha".
29
They say that hawks can make peace, but doves can’t. So you never know. Netanyahu is the worst of hawks. And Trump is about as ignorant as they come. And, Abbas who? This will be interesting. I don’t care who gets this done. But if Trump can pull it off, I’ll doff my hat to him.
1
2 choruses of "Somewhere over the rainbow"
4
Concrete, Kushner, please.
3
How reassuring.
6
Well, of course now that they've solved all out domestic issues with the America First effort, the Trump administration is out to solve the world's biggest trouble spots.
Either that, or they're putting as many balls in the air as possible to make it look they are accomplishing something, anything.
No need to tell us when Trump reaches a goal -- it's not about getting things done for the so-called president. It's about giving the impression that there are accomplishments.
Like putting a bunch of equipment at a construction site and using it to move earth around so that when investors show up it looks like Trump is "building." Trump is very proud of that maneuver.
8
Jared Kushner has no business being involved in any negotiations, he is unfit and shouldn't still have a security clearance. Let him straighten out his own business with the building 666 that he's in trouble with, and his dealings with the Russians make him suspect, as does anything Trump Junior or his father does now,
Donald Trump the dealmaker is a National Embarrassment, the guy who said he knows how to negotiate, is an imbecile that gets played by everyone.
He believes Putin's denial, Donald Trump is stupider than anyone thought.
This dope needs to be removed from office before he does serious harm to our country, national standing and our economy.
21
Why does Kushner still have security clearance? Aside from being a dim bulb, he has several felonies on record now (for starters, lying under oath and repeatedly leaving off required information on his application for security).
Can't the intelligence community do something about this? It's their necks as well as ours that are at risk with this mumbling idiot allowed access to top level secret information .
17
Hey Jared, the answer for Judea and Samaria is quite simple,
ANNEXATION!
1
Fine. But when that makes Jews a minority in Israel, what is their next move?
1
oops...another wrinkle
2
So long as there is a proper vote and an equally proper conveyance of citizenship to the people living in the West Bank...which will quickly lead to an Arab majority in the State of Israel. A state founded and to be developed, according to its declaration of independence, "for the benefit of ALL its inhabitants."
1
There is no peace with people whose sole aim is the complete annihilation of the state of Israel. A people dominated by Hamas can not be dealt with.
2
You mean you considered the possibility of success from
dumb and dumber?
3
Our expectations from this President have been brought so low as to feel relief he shows up in public wearing pants. So I am optimistic that he will disappoint no one in this endeavour and furthermore as hope must always spring eternal let us extend to him our best wishes for success. For who knows in the grand scheme of the universe, the absolute improbability of his election may augur well for the seemingly absolute impossibility of peace in the Mid East.
3
Ans, pray tell, what on earth do the Kushner little guy and his father in law know about the Middle East, or any other area in the world?
4
Whenever Trump opens his mouth on the ME, it's really Bibi talking.
The fact remains that Israel has [stolen | conquered] land and continues its depredations. Understandably Israel is not about to give up its ill gotten gains as there's nowhere else to go – unless MBS plans to welcome them to settle in Neom. Archeologically that might even be where Moses first led the Israelis. Economically Israeli enterprise might just give Saudi Arabia a viable post petroleum base.
We may soon see manna from Heaven.
4
If it goes as well as health care and budget we likely won't have to worry. I doubt Jevanka could write a blueprint to get out of a wet paper bag. I'm not holding my breath.
6
Mr. Trump, Mr. Netanyahu,
You can win the military wars. You can win the media wars. All it takes is blood and money.
But you can never win-over the hearts and minds of people who believe in human rights, who believe in international law, and who believe in justice.
10
Will the team visit Jared in jail? This is a pathetic charade that Trump imagines his special deal making powers will pull off. We are already tired of "so much winning"
1
Following the successful trump deals so far:
2
Oh, come on!! No way.
3
Trump the pacemaker.....a new extreme for Trumpkin irony and oxymoron.
1
Trump has a pacemaker? Then that "Made-For-Television" physician who scribbled accolades on a napkin as to Trump's health and fitness was lying, back during the campaign?
Peace. Nobody makes more typos, and fails to notice them, than I do. :-)
When Netanyahu comes to NY he sometimes stays at the Kushner house. I cannot recall when a Palestinian official was invited to the Kushners.
7
I do not even know how to begin to address this story. Herr Trump and his band of crooked clowns, including his android son in law Kushner, are only interested in one thing. Enhancing their own wealth at our expense, and undoing everything, and anything, that was accomplished by President Obama. Ok, that's two things.
With this band of crooks, morons and traitors now putting their sticky hands into the Middle East, we can be sure of one thing. It will only get worse. Nothing that Trump has touched, and I will hold off on the "Access Hollywood" analogy, has ever turned out good. Or decent.
6
But it would have been Obama´s fault.
You gotta be kidding me.
2
"Mr. Kushner, Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Friedman are all Orthodox Jews with ties to Israel. But Ms. Powell is an Egyptian-born Coptic Christian '
I', sure these people will have no difficulty empathizing with he Palestinians and seeing their point of view.
And I'm sure the Sauid's money going to the trump family coffers has little to do with any of this
Drain the swap into the trump banks accounts - maybe a bit for Bibi too
6
Why would anyone, including the NYT take this drivel seriously? Of the 4 so called core group, only one has any relevant experience in the ME and none in negotiating anything of importance anywhere in the world. Jared Kushner is a joke and the only apparent qualifications Mr. Friedman and Mr. Greenblatt have is being associates of Trump; Ms. Powell has some foreign policy experience, at least. It is hard to think of a time when the ME has been a bigger mess than today. It is likely going to be worse tomorrow and these four, inexperienced, largely ignorant people are going to achieve that which has eluded their betters for 70 years? With an ignorant, dangerous clown in the White House? I think not.
2
This photo says it all--Jared is a "narrow fellow in the grass." What could go wrong? Chill out, all you haters.
2
No one should expect Trump to succeed where more experienced leaders have failed. That said, consider the possibility that MBS is the real deal, and that his move against Lebanon is part of a broader strategy to end the Arab Israeli conflict, and if progress is made with Saudi assistance, the next step would be more aggressive moves against Iran, which would be isolated politically while the Saudis would gain the full support of the U.S.
MBS can see that the Arab Israeli conflict has cost the entire region a generation of wasted effort while fueling political extremism.
Maybe he can accomplish what Sadat did and avoid Sadat's fate.
1
Trump doesn't even know what questions to ask and he's not inclined to ask any questions because he already believes he's got all the answers.
He's the very worst sort of amateur.
2
The "'non-papers'" Trump's administration is putting together will go well with their "non-ideas" for solving this intractable problem. It cannot be solved, for the very simple reason that the combatants don't want it to be solved. It will be yet another failure for this demonstrably inept administration. Unfortunately, it is not a failure that will matter to his base, who don't care either about reality or about the Middle East.
4
I wonder if the peace plan involves Saudi investments in Trump and Kushner businesses after Iran has been dealt with.
12
The solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is well-known, is acceptable to the West and the to rest of the world, is consistent with official US foreign policy, is consistent with UN Resolutions and international law, is consistent with the principles laid out by the Quartet, and is consistent with the proposal put forward by the Arab League.
It is what the world demands and what Israel refuses to accept:
2 viable states; 1967 boundaries with mutually agreed land swaps, right of return negotiated using both (limited) property and (fair) compensation.
Netanyahu has recruited the Trump/Kushner/Greenblatt/
Friedman team to run interference while he intensifies his colonization of the West Bank.
10
To have even the slightest chance of Israeli-Palestinian peace, the US must be seen as an honest broker. Trump is not an honest broker in his personal life. He is not an honest broker in business. And there is one thing that has characterized his presidency, it is dishonesty. Trump is not perceived as an honest broker within his own party let alone the United States. To suggest that Palestinians should sit down with the equallly dishonest and corrupt Netanyahu is laughable.
Besides, the Trump Administration needs to first show that it can walk and chew gum at the same time before it starts doing the really hard stuff like Middle East Peace.
To put an exclamation point on the absurdity of this whole thing, it would be wonderful to have Mr. Kushner sit down in an open forum and answer questions on what he intends to do to achieve peace. What new ideas does he have?
To my eye, his only qualifications seem to be that he is rich and he is Jewish. The fact that he is rich lends credibility only in the eyes of Trump. His religious faith may in fact be a small liability.
This is an ineefectual attempt at re-direction. This is just another episode of the Trump sitcom. Pay no attention.
9
IT would be wonderful to have Mr. Kushner sit down and speak, period. Who is this unelected babyface, anyway?
1
Labeling Netanyahu as an impediment to peace (as quoted by a leading scholar, reported in the final paragraph of the article) is misleading.
Netanyahu has effectively impeded efforts from internal and external forces to give in, give up, and sell out Israel. Because he knows that peace with Arabs is not possible. Not when Palestinians and other Arabs regard the killing of all Jews, and removal of their very existence from Israel, as non-negotiable outcomes they must have.
What is possible is a state of "no war." And the state of "no war" is possible when we disarm everyone around Israel, by a "deal" . . . er, I mean by our brute force. By "deal," if we mean we will use our brute force to cut off Arab, Saudi, Iranian money and arms flowing to their proxies in Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank, then godspeed. Events in Saudi Arabia suggest this "deal" has begun.
And if that is not possible, then I think the Palestinian people can get a fair deal by adopting the most powerful weapon ever; i.e., by embracing non-violence and showering Israel with peace, goodwill, and love; asking for collaboration in agriculture, science, engineering, and other fields. If everyone eats well, sends their children to schools, the streets are safe, and hospitals are staffed, it is a win win.
Try it, Palestinians, because you have tried everything else and failed laughably, miserably, horrifically. And that is a shame. Your children deserve a good life like everyone else.
Kalidan
1
At what point will the American people to include "the base" realize the Trump "team" is incompetent led by what Tillerson defined as "moronic". Kushner was the point man who wanted to establish a "back channel" communication link directly from Russian Embassy in Washington to Moscow.
This group of "un-Americans" is truly dangerous to our republic..and the quicker Mueller issues follow on indictments the better, in hopes Trump is finally recognized as a treasonous political figure. Pathetic and so dangerous!
5
Ya know what I'd like? Some American president to admit "we can't solve this mess, we're out." And then get all the way out, no aid packages to Israel, no bribes to Egypt, just get out entirely and focus on issues that actually concern us such as North Korea.
3
More Americans and people in the West have died from people involved in the Middle East mess then have died from N Korea. ISIS and terrorism against the West is tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
1
Jared is like his father-in-law, everything they touch goes to goo! I have had business interests in the Middle East since 1995, the fighting has been going on for about 3,000 years and Trump/Kushner do not have the ability to change the status quo.
2
Clarify for me........
Middle East Peace...or a piece of the Middle East?
1
I hate to break it to you America, but nobody in the world takes Trump seriously and can plainly see that the Republican Party is being taken over by racists, nationalists/fascists, and evangelical religious extremists.
These extremists target the poorly educated and easily fearful through their right wing propaganda machine, led by Fox (real fake) News.
Once these extremists take over the Republican Party it's very clear they will go after the Constitution and America's democracy and civil liberties.
In this context the world is supposed to believe that Trump's son-in-law, a completely unqualified person will bring peace to the Middle East?
Honestly America, do you not see how insane America looks to the rest of the world...at what point does America start fighting the enemy from within, cause time is running out...quickly!
6
--Kushner is an Orthodox Jew, acting on behalf of the United States of America.
--The latter political entity continues to aid and abet Israel in its construction of illegal settlements in occupied Palestine.
--Kushner will be negotiating ostensibly in good faith and with impartiality with Jews and Arabs.
--Yet for Kushner, “next year in Jerusalem” is already non-negotiable.
--If I were an Arab, I would be immediately suspicious.
--As a lapsed Christian and as someone who regards his father-in-law as a dangerous joke, I am already suspicious.
Peace in the Middle East with the current regime in Washington should be more of the same when it comes to “repeal and replace” of the ACA, that is to say, a non-starter with nefarious, ulterior motives.
8
Trump and Jared Kushner take on peace in the Middle East. Honestly, sometimes it's hard to look at the titles of the New York Times and not think I'm looking at The Onion. We really live in Bizzaro World.
6
The "peace" plan is a plan whose objective is to destroy or neutralize all Arab countries and organizations that are a threat to Israel! There is no other "peace" plan. "Peace" is another word for war in Trump's and the GOP's double speak world.
5
Thank you, NYT, for noting that Trump "considers himself a dealmaker." This is a welcome change from previous pieces where Trump was identified AS a "dealmaker." He is, but only in his delusions.
2
Jared's wonderful adventure in search of Palestinian peace has the look and feel of a contemporary Children's Crusade. The original in 1212 seems to have been inspired by the divine vision of a stubbornly dogmatic shepherd boy named Stephen, so there's that angle as well.
Bibi will surely humor Jared and feign support for his noble enterprise, comfortable in the knowledge that so many obstacles lie in its path that it will likely never be reduced to a concrete proposal requiring a firm commitment. Bibi has Trump eating out of his hand and will want to keep his buffoonish benefactor happy as long as he can. But it is far more likely that Bibi and the new Saudi strong man will lure Trump into an attack on Iran than Jared's feckless peace initiative will bear fruit.
2
One would think the state department would be involved.
2
There is no functioning State department.
1
Trump's Middle East plan is brilliant in its simplicity: Let Russia run things!
3
Is if April 1st? Must have been sleeping through the winter this year.
3
By Middle East peace plan I think they mean a new Trump hotel and casino complex on the West Bank.
2
You can't fool me with the Kumbaya efforts. They are merely made-for-TV efforts. You can't send massive arms shipments to the Middle East then fool everyone with a garnish of Olive branch. I just don't buy it. I wasted 50 hears of hope waiting for peace there.
24
And it didn't take long for the Saudis to heat up their militarism, both internally and externally, after getting that "great" arms deal from the traitor in the WH.
2
This fools errand is being pursued, now as in the past, because one prominent school of thought believes that an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians is the key to a stable Middle East. This is not just completely wrong but exactly backwards, The Israeli-Palestinian issue is not merely not the most important in the contemporary Middle East, but rather the least important. Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and, God knows, Iraq and Syria all have far more pressing issues to deal with, the most important of which is the Sunni/Shia split across the Persian Gulf and Fertile Crescent. Work on that, therefore, and forget this.
44
So, the Palestinian people, suffering under the world's longest military occupation, should just be forgotten? Really?
1
Cause must be recognized and acknowledged before effect is, or all parties involved will carry their grievance onward. This is not to say that individual blame should be ascribed or accepted, but merely to suggest that perhaps if the problem has been one of private belief, then perhaps some kind of salve can be found in the common and shared human experiences which transcend privacy.
What a joke.
First Afghanistan, bordering Eastern Iran is attacked and invaded by the West and it's partners, then Iraq.
It's public knowledge amongst informed minds that a plan to invade and conquer several Middle East countries was already in play.
Then the West, led by Hillary, targets Libya and Syria. Throughout this time a "rogue" group, ISIS emerges. ISIS is used as a proxy to attack the democratically elected Iraqi government who didn't end up with the profile the West and it's "partners" had hoped for, and to bring down the governments of Syria and Libya on the back of a popular movement called The Arab Spring.
And despite decrying its crimes, the West (et.al.) provides financial, military and intelligence support to ISIS, an Islamic terrorist group that has not laid a finger on Israel.
All the while Iran is portrayed as having a power grabbing agenda, a hostile & aggressive foreign policy driven by theological motives and Hezbollah, the one group that halted the ethnic cleansing of Lebanon by Israel and the West, is labelled a terrorist group.
Israel, the world's worst landgrabbers, and Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest sponsor of terrorism, together with the warmongering US and UK, are responsible for the suffering in the ME.
And now we have Clown Trump, Prince Jared and a Saudi Clown Prince shape ME policy.
I feel sorry for the Palestinians and Lebanon, the only true democracy in the ME, for the suffering Trump and his cabal will inflict on them.
Disgusting.
14
In the past 30 years, Israel has annexed ZERO territory.
1
Netanyahu may be as corrupt as Trump and his administration and equally adept at pandering to Israel's religious extremists as Trump is to the American evangelicals but those similarities will not result in Middle East Peace unless Israel intends to shed its diminishing democracy for a government controlled by oligarchics and theocrats, stoking ethnocentric nationalism.
3
Okey dokey. Let's watch.
7
Trump's Middle East peace plan: send Jared (why does he still have a security clearance?) Kushner
19
There have been rumours that the "plan" will give the entire West Bank with its vital water resources to Israel and give the Sinai desert to the Palestinians, with the Egyptian authorities being paid off somehow.
To think such a plan would meet the standard of "justice" in the Muslim world is simply ludicrous and it would make a sham of international law.
1
Where is the State Department?
Where are the references to the decades of UN Resolutions on the ME?
Where are the references to the work of the Quartet?
Where are the references to international law?
Answer:
Nowhere!!
14
Come on, with 10 months of educating themselves, "non-papers", Jared, what could go wrong ? Obviously the imbiciles with their PhDs and decades of study and historical perspective and intelligence (spy work) bought at high cost in lives lost and .... can't possible know anything useful on this topic.
We are funding all these people, who we should listen to, and instead have Jared and Steve M and Don and whoever .. educating themselves.
Can we stop with statements like "drawing praise from across the spectrum" when 2 paragraphs down we hear the obvious "naive" and "ineffective"?
2
More material for Comedy Central.
6
Kushner has been aware of all changes coming out of House of Saud. There is an agreement to work together between Saud clan and Javanka clan to do what's best for them from $$$ perspective and leverage gullible Americans (includes selfish GOP).
3
If you want to know Israel's peace plan, read 'Exodus' in the Bible. It spells out quite clearly Israel's position on Palestine.
3
Does it mention Jared Kushner by name?
1
I am sure Jared Kushner can solve the problem even though he is pro-israel and friends with Netanyahu, no conflict there right.
8
If this were tennis, this story would be considered a lollipop? It would feel good to smash it but today I’m not in the mood. Tennis is a tedious game to watch as well.
This 'middle east thing' should be a done deal by Thanksgiving now that the master dealmaker (a.k.a. DJT) has one of the most knowledgeable, trustworthy, and respected negotiator leading the cause: Jared Kushner.
Henry Kissinger - eat your heart out.
8
"After 10 months of educating themselves on the complexities of the world’s most intractable dispute". I'll just leave that there for consideration.
13
Oh, don't be mean! :)
1
It call for a Trump tower in each country, contracted by the same outfit as is building "the Wall". Trump family to get 25% of all profits, sent to an account in the Cayman Islands.
4
The biggest impediment to the peace process is NOT the two leaders, but extremists on both sides who will encourage violence to derail peace. It will be necessary to endure this violence without harsh reprisals to give our children a better world. Blessed are the peacemakers, may their efforts succeed against terrible opposition.
14
Right, as long as the extremists run the table, nothing we can do anyway, so why don't we just save our money and effort and just get out? The only parties in the Middle East that honestly deserve our support, because they are committed to multicultural secular democracy, are the Kurds. Stop supporting anyone else. The whole thing is devolving into a Sunni/Shi'ite religious war, and that is the last thing we need to be involved in.
It is difficult to convey to those unfamiliar with some of the less-publicized [in America] aspects of Netanyahu's iteration of the Likud Party that he is a moderate/liberal by the standards of the more sectarian and expansionist faction that he represents.
Given the biases against all Jews based on the actions of the ultra-Orthodox, it's worth noting that there may be some marked ambivalence as to divulging more of the details regarding this schism.
Donald Trump nor Jared Kushner are smart enough to come up with a workable peace plan. What ever they think will not be workable. Others much smarter than those two have tried and failed. Involve Jimmy Carter or John Kerry and there might be a chance.
6
Sustained sardonic laughter. There hasn't been much hope of Middle East peace in my lifetime, and the chances are at an all-time low right now. I don't think anybody could really succeed at this, and that means the Trump team is going to fail miserably.
3
You must be kidding. No one respects Trump’s diplomatic capacity. He divides people, rather than uniting. THe USA has also been incredibly partisan on the the issue of the Israeli - Palestinian divide. It is just not seen as an honest broker.
3
No worries. The kid is on the job. Jared has resolved most major issues plaguing previous administrations and the Middle East peace talks will be a breeze. Trump and FOX News will confirm it Trump's very close ties to the Saudi(s) and the Faux Christians pressure on U.S. administrations to support Israel every which way is a natural blend for peace.
4
Both sides have too much invested in the status quo to make the compromises necessary to reach an agreement. In particular, the Palestinian leadership would be in deep trouble if there was peace with Israel and they actually had to prove themselves capable of governing an independent country.
3
I have drawn up plans for Middle East peace. I'm a barely literate truck driver. My plans and this administration's plans have the same degree of validity, thus, the same chance of succeeding.
29
This moment is ripe for a comprehensive Middle East peace agreement due to local events, and the fact that our current president ain’t smart contributes to the local forces’ need not to rely on us for a solution.
1
You know what? Everyone else has failed, despite tons of diplomatic experience. But maybe it was BECAUSE of their diplomatic experience that they failed. I certainly don’t have huge expectations that Trump et al will solve this. But I’m open to them trying, because no one else has managed to accomplish anything either, so why not? Sometimes the Hail Mary play works.
3
Don't forget, DT, that Trump is a horrible failure at nearly everything. In football, when people try the Hail Mary play, they try it with their best quarterback and best wide-end receiver, and it still usually fails. They don't trot out the guy who brought the Gatorade and one of the new coaches' son-in-law.
5
Hail Mary is the wrong religion to reference here.
The majority of negotiators on our side are Jewish, and not only Jewish, but hard line supporters of Israel.
This is how the Trumpkins do it. Put business insiders into the EPA as "scientists."
Let the men of the Senate and House decide how to "replace" Obamacare, men who seem to think that they have no part in conception and that mammograms are for sissies.
If you were to turn your attention to the Supreme Court, where Hail Mary is an appropriate metaphor as so many of the members are Catholic, you find Catholics deciding for non-Catholics that contraception is a no no.
Don't put any faith in Jared et al. Because they've already put the "faith" in--and it's not neutral--whether they are diplomatic rubes or not has nothing to do with it.
8
I would love to know what Jared is getting out of this - that recent trip to Saudi Arabia had 'acquisition' written all over it.
The end of the Syrian war is going to create all sorts of new headaches in the ME and all sorts of opportunities for plunder and land grabs. I doubt peace is the real goal here. Look forward to Peter Baker connecting the dots in weeks to come.
102
666 Madison Ave is still looking for a bailout
No doubt the President will bring his considerable knowledge and expertise to the peace process, so we can count on the Trump TM Peacemaker plan to focus on the unifying concepts of "casino", "beauty pageant", "golf handicap", "eminent domain" and "prime time audience ratings". The Middle East will be winning so much, they'll say please, please Mr. president, It's too much winning! We can't take it anymore!
10
Who with a shred of serious credibility believes that the U.S. can promote a "peace plan" between two bitterly conflicted parties while we shamelessly Trumpet our partisanship for one side--Israel--supplying it the most sophisticated and lethal military power and sneering at the Palestinian complaint of Israel's cruel effort to keep it utterly helpless before this juggernaut? While Netanyahu openly proclaims Israel's intent to maintain a permanent military control of a civilian population stripped of its dignity and rights? American politicians who support this absurd posture need to be aware that the vast majority of the American people have no historic or cultural or true religious reason to perpetuate this outrageous condition and that at some point it is going to come unglued.
14
If they can pull off peace in the Middle East, I'll be the first one to take off my hat to them. Operative word = "if." Personally, I wouldn't bet on it. I sort of put it on the level of Lassie finding Judge Crater or Shirley Temple turning Stalin into a nice guy (who also sings and dances).
4
I was under the impression that the NYT published works of fiction separately from news. Any delusion that Israel and the Palestinians' leaders WANT peace is ridiculous. The region and its peoples are defined by conflict. It makes for good politics to address the issue but it will never be more than posturing for the sake of political showmanship.
5
The Kushner family regularly funds orthodox settlements in the West Bank. That ought to be helpful in the Middle East peace process, right?
107
While I don't have any expectations that a "peace" deal could ever be worked out between the Israelis and the Palestinians by the Trump administration I say lets give them a chance and see what happens. They certainly can't do any worse than previous administrations.
Oh, they can certainly do worse than all other administrations, as they have done so far since the election. And they will. After their unintelligent plan starts being processed, I expect chances for peace to drop to even less than they are now.
2
Wasn't it Young Jared who urged Dad-I-L to fire James Comey....one of the most misguided political decisions of the century?
Surely the sage and far-seeing judgment of the Metternich of Livingston NJ will prevail and break the stalemate in the Middle East.....
NOT my president
5
Trump as Metternich? He is more like George W. Plunkitt, the Tammany leader who coined the phrase "Honest Graft."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Plunkitt
This would be a joke, if it were funny instead of pathetic. Is the dissembler-in-chief attempting to set up an insanity defense against the criminal charges he will eventually face, so that his lawyers will be able to argue that he is utterly delusional? As for Kushner, maybe he figures this is a "pro bono" gesture which will get him a lighter sentence? If this were Vaudeville, someone would be shouting "Get the hook!"
It is remotely possible that the Israelis and Palestinians will eventually come to a mutually satisfactory agreement -- perhaps if both factions decide to adopt Zen Buddhism. In that case, I would be pleased if the Israelis were to get everything they want, and the Palestinians simply would not care. As things stand now, however, the spectacle of Trump strutting into this innately irreconcilable conflict (and pulling out a deck of cards?) would surpass any W.C. Fields movie I have ever seen.
7
Trumps Middle East Peace Plan is all about getting financing for Kuchners 666 Fifith Ave building.
Just recently Kuchner met with the Saudi Crown Prince, and shortly afterwards was the Saudi purge and aggressive signals toward Lebanon. There is concern about the Trump Russian connection, but I am much more concerned with their Saudi connections
11
I am in favor of a two-state solution. The second state should be Gaza. Israel has no claim on Gaza. Neither does Egypt its former occupier. There is no good reason why Gaza should not immediately be deemed an independent state. Gaza could develop industry, farming and tourism. They have a great coastline. The tricky part will be keeping Iranian interference at bay.
As far as the rest of the land in question goes, the amount of land allocated for a Jewish state was never adequate. Israel has 8.5 million people. With UN approval, Israel should annex the entire West Bank and it should be given status similar to Quebec in Canada, somewhat autonomous with their own language and schools and culture. A bifurcated Palestine consisting of the West Bank and Gaza, separated by Israel, is ridiculous and unviable.
Displaced Palestinians should be compensated as under the Doctrine of Eminent Domain. If you have a claim you show up at a UN Middle East Compensation Commission office and present your claim. You sign a release and collect your money. You take your money and go live wherever you want.
The funds should come from UN sources, like member dues and benefactors, because the UN caused this problem in the first place in 1948 by awarding Jews a state to make recompense for what the Germans did. If the Germans had not done what they did there would probably be no Israel today.
2
You seem to conveniently ignore international law and the rights of the Palestinians to self-determination.
1
Trump: "I did the Wollman Skating Rink! Of course I can get peace in the Middle East. I'm the world's most tremendous deal maker!"
4
So here’s a guy who needs a bunch of crusty old generals available to keep the White House staff and collection of Trumps from strangling each other and he plans to “make a deal” for peace in the Middle East?
Am I missing something here?
Or is Trump missing a lot?
24
Who would trust any deal brokered by the Trump family?
63
Trump can not accomplish anything in the USA. What on earth would make people believe he can accomplish peace in the middle east? Good golly, what a laughing stock we have become.
84
Well, I suppose the Trump team needs some sort of a "win" when juxtaposed with both its woeful foreign and national agenda. But I believe that is all it wants, a "win." The incompetence of Mr. Kushner (and this president) is proving to be legendary. And, as with Jared's personal business affairs, one would expect that there is something in it for his boss and him, something that has absolutely nothing to do with a peaceful compromise between Israel and Palestine.
As this article points out well, there are many out-lying circumstances that will make this attempt a non-starter, or more precisely, non-conclusive. Also, the crux of this dilemma is the relationship between Netanyahu and Abbas. Making it more complicated and probably more ominous for the Palestinians is the ongoing bromance between Trump/Kushner and Bebe. When there are three major players who have track records of alleged corruption and exploitation, it would seem that any "resolution" to this conflict would not end well for Palestinians.
8
I am thrilled to bits - given the outstanding and exceptional level of experience, skills, and qualifications of the Trump team, I expect peace, good harmony, love, and goodwill to descend upon the Middle East just in time for Christmas. And about time . . .
17
I am not aware of any experience that either son-in-law Kushner or president Trump have on negotiating peace. Making real estate deals is a very different skill set.
Just as tax "reform" is really a tax "cut". this isn't middle east "peace", this is going to be the installation of a puppet oligarchy in the new world order.
11
President Obama was pro-Shiite. He was willing to work against Sunnis like bin Laden, Mubarak and Qaddafi, but he never could oppose Khamenei or Assad.
President Trump is pro-Sunni.
There is no way that Iran and its Shiite allies could have allowed a peace agreement to take place. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, seems to be going through some sort of radical transformation. Maybe Trump and the Saudis will be able to work together with Israel.
3
Trump is pro-Sunni? Trump doesn't know the difference between Sunnis and Shiites.
9
Coming from the same team that hasn't yet been able to pass a single piece of signature legislation - in spite of controlling the White House, Senate, and Congress -- I'm going to have to file this one under, "don't hold your breath folks."
12
When this predictably fails, Trump will say "who knew that mid-east peace would be so complicated?"
25
I have one word, and technically it’s not even that:
lol
18
You say that you have only one word? Remember, Rex Tillerson had two.
4
"Mr. Trump, who considers himself a dealmaker, decided to adopt the challenge when he took office in January, intrigued at the idea of succeeding where other presidents failed, and he assigned the effort to Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and senior adviser. Neither had any background with the issue and the effort was greeted with scorn, but the fact that the president entrusted it to a close relative was taken as a sign of seriousness in the region."
More and more, I have to keep checking that I am reading the New York Times and not The Onion.
32
You apparently added some words to Mr. Netanyahu's assertion about Trump's Middle East negotiating team. He did not say "They are trying to think out of the box." What he actually said is "They are trying to think." Getting Trump and his advisers to think may be more difficult than achieving peace in the Middle East."
10
Sure. And everyone gets a pony for Christmas. For the Adults: a scholarship to Trump University. Thanks, GOP.
28
When you have two weak leaders in Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump relying on a totally inexperienced person in Jared Kushner, you have to stifle a laugh about the likelihood of any possible peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. As you point out, the much more ominous situation is posed, by the aggressive action by the new Saudi leadership who apparently have kidnapped the Lebanese Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, hoping to foment a war between Israel and Lebanon while making threats against Iran. Since the U.S. has already involved in supporting the Saudis incursion in Yemen and the Trump administration has aligned itself solidly with the Kingdom including a multi-million dollar arms sale, the possibility of a region-wide war between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran looms as the area where a major peace initiative is required.
65
The funniest aspect of this administration is how they take themselves seriously.
29
I would agree it would be funny, if the stakes were not so high.
And it really is pathetic and scary to see the likes of Jared the slum lord and Ivanka the Chinese sweat-shop magnate and designer of plastic pocketbooks trying to run the world at Big Don;s behest.
This is where failure to adequately fund the education of people in rural america has landed us.
Please! The Trump administration keeps trying to pull off something big when none can get the little stuff right. Jared Kushner could not properly or honestly fill out his NSA questionnaire form! That he has security clearance given his numerous omissions about dealings with Russia is an abuse of power. That Trump thinks he or Jared have the confidence of Netanyahu is a joke. That anything close to honest brokerage would be included in any plan right now (since Trump has left it up to "Jared"), including the need for the less than ever credible input of the Saudis' (MbS) when it is now a major violator of human rights is almost laughable.
This shuffling the deck that the Trump administration keeps playing with the American people is wasteful and inept with so little being accomplished. While Trump destroys the environment and dismantles meaningful Obama executive orders that worked for America-- he is definitely deluded about Israel and Palestine. No Palestinian trusts what Trump, Jared or Netanyahu says. Saudi Arabia has shot itself in the foot, and will find that it is becoming untrustworthy too among the Arab nations.
Jared and his WH honchos can draft all they want. There is no peace deal to be expected. This is a distraction from Jared's, Ivanka's, Don, Jr. and Don Sr., big Russian problems lapping at their heels.
14
Leaving aside the already well-known lack of capabilities of Trump and Kushner, what qualifications and experience does Greenblatt have to negotiate ME peace? Well, 1) he began his career as a real estate lawyer and then went to work in 1999 for the Trump Organization; 2) he started a cappuccino coffee company (which he sold with the advent of Starbucks); he created a blog aimed at parents and teens; he is the author of three travel books (including one about his family's visit to Israel); and he changed his first name from "Theodore" to "Jason." WOW -- sure sounds like a guy who can definitely pierce the decades of conflict in the ME and deliver policy guidance for lasting peace in the region. This is just one more example of the dangerous narcissism and arrogance about the White House gang -- many of whom belong on a chain gang.
17
If these jug heads would please just leave well enough alone.Neither Trump nor Kushner (nor, for that matter, Tillerson) have an adequate sense of history, mature judgment regarding the cultural backstory or skill at capturing incremental progress. They are not only total amateurs at diplomacy...they are text book cases of how not to conduct to conduct foreign policy.
Please, just stay home and tweet about how great things are in the WH.
8
I wish all of them liked golf as much as Donny does. At this point in time, I'd be somewhat relieved/satisfied if we just paid them to be sent off to the links for 36 holes every day (54 on Sundays).
Consider cutting our subsidy to Israel by half, unless they get serious. Incidentally, we’d still be their best friend after doing so.
16
Trump's Middle East peace plan.
1. Send an inexperienced son-in-law for initial discussion.
2. Kowtow to Putin, and accept that Putin and Russia did not
meddle in the US election.
3. Check out potential hotel and golf course sites.
4. Side with the oil-rich countries and best ally Saudi Arabia.
5. Anger the Israelis.
6. Fail.
Repeat steps 1-6 over again
61
How is Trump going to succeed with a project that requires near sainthood status? He doesn't have any grasp of the nuances of the situation in the Middle East. He hasn't got the patience. No one respects him. And he hasn't learned that most elementary of lessons that we do learn in kindergarten: how to work and play well with others. Taking a long nap might be a better idea.
177
Which is why he 'delegated' the process to Kushner. if nothing happens, or, worse, if Kushner mucks things up, he can always blame any failures on Kushner, and, as is his modus operandi, avoid any personal accountability or responsibility. He just feeds "fall guys" into areas of conflict, no matter how serious. Diplomacy, and the State Department, are way over the traitor's head.
4
What exactly have the experts who had the "grasp of the nuances" accomplished in last 50 years?
1
Remember the fake, phony, fraudulent Republican plan for seven years to fix American healthcare ?
Please allow me to introduce his fake, phony, fraudulent son-in-law, the Trump-Kushner plan to fix the Middle East.
Nothing fails like Trumpian-inspired Know Nothingism, incompetence and Dunning-Kruger-effect overconfidence.
159
Trump plans to end conflict? Now, that's funny! Sort of like an arsonist planning to end fire danger. It just doesn't get much more absurd.
142
Melania's crusade against cyberbullying is up there...
Here the Trump plan:
1)a bilingual (Arabic and Hebrew) version of the show the apprentice;
2)Trump hotel in Jerusalem;
3)beauty pageant in Tel Aviv and Ramalah;
4)embassy on wheel which coud be move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and vice versa;
5)another embassy on wheel which could be move from Ramalah to Gaza and vice versa;
6)golden wall with the name TRUMP on it to separate Israel from Palestine;
7)mandatory reading by all Israelis and Palestinians of the Art of the Deal:
8)and if the plan is successful the Nobel Peace Price to President Trump.
77
Despite all the emphasis on *getting* a deal per se, it's equally important to emphasize getting a deal that has *staying power*.
Middle East nations are notoriously unstable. Palestinian President Abbas is old, and many of those who could succeed him might well renounce any deal he makes. Hamas might attempt to take over the Palestinian state, much as they did in Gaza. The result could be even worse than the current state of affairs.
Work for a deal, a just deal, of course. But ensure that it's a *lasting deal*.
It is simple - Israel needs to stop stealing land for their settlements and the rest of the world needs to recognize Palestine as being a separate state with independence and rights to their own sea- and air-space and no blockades.
100
Why was there no peace when there were no settlements & the Palestinians had their own sea- and air-space and no blockades?
3
Trump's minions will love this story. They have all been properly conditioned.
Freedom is Slavery.
Ignorance is Strength.
War is Peace.
"The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those that speak it."
There is no profit for Trump in peace. Only in war.
There is nowhere else for this "plan" to go.
56
I'd be willing to bet you a lot of money that Trump could not find the Middle East on a map. And that he thinks Middle East peace has something to do with pie.
20
Sometimes I wonder whether he could find Canada on a map. "Somewhere up north."
4
Give it another week or two before we hear from the bone spur bone in chief: "who knew the middle east was so complicated!"
17
Good Lord, this is scary. Trump can’t bring peace to America, how is he ever going to do what much better men & women have tried? Just keep the buffoon golfing, leave the real work to professionals.
19
There is no chance whatsoever of peace so long as Israel is ruled by right-wing Orthodox Jews.
Netanyahu's only vision of peace is the extinction of the Palestinian people and seizure of the remaining portions of ancient Judea and Samaria that is not already occupied by Israeli forces.
If, like Netanyahu and most of his Orthodox Jewish theocracy, you believe that God gave Jewish people permanent title to the Biblical lands of their forefathers, then you believe that Jewish are entitled to ALL those lands.
Not peace, but more wars of aggression lie in Israel's path.
45
There is also no chance whatsoever of peace as long as the Paelstinians are ruled by extremists.
The Palestinian Charter still calls for the destruction of Israel. That is their vision of peace. How can any sovereign nation negotiate with anyone whose stated goal is their destruction? This is no small matter.
Blaming Israel solely for the ongoing impasse in the ME is folly. Both sides need to wake up.
3
Why was there no peace before Israel was ruled by right-wing Orthodox Jews?
3
trump turns his lack of knowledge and child like attention span to Middle East peace ? Have'nt the Palestinians suffered enough ?
22
Oh ok. The master deal maker at work.
How long before he unleashes reckless tweets undercutting any progress his advisors make? How long before Trump makes irresponsible remarks revealing how little he understands the dynamics of what is at stake in the ME conflict?
I don’t know why anyone could possibly have any faith in Trump cutting a deal that will result in a peace accord. He’s a con artist and a chump.
39
Its very obvious what things need to be done. We have been involved with this for over 50 years.
#1- Return the nations borders to the 1967 map.
#2- Remove all settlers that are now in the Palestine areas (over 400,000)
#3- pay for all the stolen property that has taken place for 50 years.
#4- Remove the wall
#5- Allow free elections in Palestine.
#6- Recognize a 2 state solution.
#7- Open Gaza to trade and traffic
Yes, these are the things that might allow fruitful discussions. Without this its another exercise in wasted time and money . Another kicking the can down the road to postpone any changes. By the way, how come we have an inexperienced New York wealthy Real estate dealer , with no foreign experience and with a hard core Jewish affiliation doing these negotiations?
130
Could not say it better
1
Why was there no peace when the borders were 1967 borders & there were no settlers & there was no stolen property & there was no wall & ...?
3
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Just a ploy to bolster up Jared so he is held in higher esteem before a likely eventual indictment by Mueller.
20
What an excellent strategy- attempt to solve what no administration has solved in over one hundred years while still mired in election scandal, trust failure with the American people, questions about the President's competency, Cabinet controversy and voluntary, unnecessary Tweet-wars. This should turn out well.
22
One hopes that Dennis Ross is correct in that the plan may be worthwhile. Philip Gordon is likely right however that nothing new is offered. All success depends on Netanyahu and Abbas, both of whom see no advantage in a final peace. Both peoples need newer and younger leadership if a process is ever to come to fruition.
1
Nothing to read here folks. Only concern for Americans is that we avoid any further entanglement (and costs) in this imbroglio. The best solution from the American perspective is to disengage completely from mediation on this stalemate.
4
Thank you for this! I needed a good laugh. I assume next up on the docket is ending world hunger and an unlimited, clean, and cheap source of energy, while we're solving all the simple things.
18
Peter Baker does a really good job of taking this effort seriously. I don't think I could write something so patently absurd while still keeping a straight face. Bravo. My hat is off to you. The real tell comes from Mr. Zomlot. Palestinians seek restitution for the outcome of the Six-Day War. Israel is not going to grant any. They feel justified and vindicated in their victory. The two historical interpretations are irreconcilable. Rinse and repeat. Trump and Kushner are going nowhere with Middle East peace.
8
Team Trump sounds like a sports outfit. No way will Jared ever get any sort of Rookie of the Year Award though try as he might.
4
“Trump Team Begins Drafting Middle East Peace Plan”
So the same people who have brought us to the brink of WWIII are going to bring peace to the Middle East? They really don’t understand the concept of irony, do they?
18
There are many brilliant people with demonstrated records of success in their filed, who have spent years and decades traveling through the mid-east, studying geo-politics, mid-eastern history, political science, etc. Many are professors, diplomats, writers, heads of NGOs, etc.
Yet, The Donald appoints his son-in-law, a 30-something year old NJ -based slum lord to undertake "mid east peace,' Anther joke. On us.
Let's make america great.
31
No, sometimes outsiders realize that historic barriers are only in the mind.
Bennie Netahyahu finally has his fellow strong men in The Con Don, Putin, Erdogan and the other money master operatives that have been installed in governments around the world.
Apparently know one knows how this is going to play out but it does not bode well for the average "peons" around the world who played into their hands through "social" media and fox so-called news.
Will WE THE PEOPLE stand by and allow them to throw us into WW3 for their 5th/15th century money/power struggles with their BIG religion brethren to keep us in control through fear?
Not me. Not now. Not ever again.
9
I don't expect them to succeed, but then I don't expect anyone to succeed. So I don't see any harm in their trying.
1
Donald Trump, having successfully torn apart the United States for the last year, will now magically restore peace in the Middle East.
He's a uniter, not a divider !
Get your Trump Easter Bunny Snake Oil, folks !
Praise the Father, the Son-In-Law, and the Holy Hoax Peace Plan !
159
From Henry Kissinger and Jimmy Carter to the Trump administration, everyone has tried to get the peace process in the Middle East to work. No one has been successful.
Why is this? Those who live in the Middle East are dedicated to fighting. They like fighting. If Israel disappeared tomorrow, nothing would change.
3
Domestic policies in disarray, health care threatened and now another misadventure in the ME with zero chance of success as Bibi panders to the extremist settlers with ever more far right policies and his ndictment on multiple corruption charges looms.
Complete waste of our time and money. Jared has zero experience In diplomacy, foreign affairs , or negotiating anything other than NY real estate deals. A non starter.
62
His record in NY real estate deals pretty disastrous
1
At best, he makes no headway into the wide variety of intractable issues facing the Middle East.
At worst, he inflames tensions in an area desperately in need of stability.
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A Trump Golf Course for each. With many sand traps.
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A very nice beautiful huge casino gambling resort in the middle of that area of conflict, with tremendous amounts of money and profits split between the two sides. Jared's secret plan. Can't fail.
3
I consider it almost done, now that Jared's on it.
Explains also the sycophancy before Saudi Arabia: "We'll let you do what you want, where you want and how you want. You do what we want when it comes to bullying the Palestinians into accepting the schlockiest deal Israel could dream of." Deal done.
Watch out Palestinians! The freight train is coming right at you.
20
This reminds me of when I studied abroad in Northern Ireland and my naive roommate, bless him, suggested at a college Sinn Fein party that maybe they should just "try talking it out".
Needless to say we had to make an exit shortly after.
10
mr. trump is itching for a new war with Iran - he wants the oil and he wants to prove he can win. North Korea is just a fight. Iran is a fight with massive oil rewards - maybe even Exxon would be delighted.
mr. trump's idea of his Middle East Peace is to forge Kushner's drunken night hangover into a fait accompli for the USA. trump is encouraging Saudi Arabia to engage in a war with Iran so he can "join" them in a show of support - after all, the US always supports its allies.
He doesn't care about the Palestinians - he has already tacitly agreed with the Israelis to edge out the Palestinians.
Without a strong State Department to have their ears to the rails, the US will never know what other back-room agreements are being made until it's too late.
38
This Confederacy of Dunces is truly borderless.
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Slightly absurd, given that Trump (a man who knows almost nothing about the conflict or region and who won't be in office this time next year), and Kushner (who will likely be arrested in the next couple weeks) are among the "architects." The sooner arrests are made and the process of changing our own government is underway the better. We need to draft an American peace plan. Remember? America first? Ring any bells? Once we can return the nation to some sort of functional government (that isn't strictly for the wealthy or furthering the Trump brand), we can focus on the rest of the world.
45
What a waste of brain power, headlines and taxpayer money. Here's the only plan that will ever work: The parties who hate each other, kill each other and fear each other and keep score for generations on what the other party did to them get tired of living that way and they make and enforce their own plan. I will henceforth read nothing about this futile third party effort.
11
This story could have been edited to just three letters: DOA.
How can you do the "ultimate deal" internationally without the Secretary of State and a State Department whose experienced leaders have exited by choice or pink slip?
Trump and team have no clue to the historic antagonisms political complexities they are blindly blundering into.
88
Slightly, but just slightly off topic: Can anyone explain why the Jewish-American population (2.2% of the US), of 5.5million and the Cuban -American population (less than 1%) about 2 million have such political clout!
2
Jimmy Carter tried and failed. Bill Clinton couldn't get it done. Kissinger, Bush, Obama, Tony Blair. None of them could pull it off.
Amateur hour is over, folks. It's time to bring in the Big Gun. The Closer. The Diplomatic Statesman par excellence.
Jared Kushner
220
Pretty sure that was snark! Thanks!
1
There will be no peace deal until after Netanyahu's regime is gone AND a much more progressive government has been installed. Even then it will be an enormous challenge requiring concessions that both sides see as non-starters at present. The only sure thing is that Jared Kushner and his rooky observers will not be the ones who accomplish this.
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Conflict pays!
Arafat was worth $1 billion.
Abbas is worth $100 million.
Hamas’ Khaled Mashaal, head of Hamas’s political wing, net worth $2.6 billion.
Ending the conflict means ending the money.
3
you seem to have forgotten Netanyahu. please include the submarine grart, the millican(sic) graft, the money from Packer, and last but not least----the bottle refunds(even tho Sara kept that money).
4
This headline instantly makes the George W Bush plan to go back to the moon much more doable.
1
Who's going to fill in for Prince Jared after Mueller indicts him, Ivanka?
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We do so hope she will go down with him.
5
Goodness. I thought for a minute I was reading the Onion.
220
Why do I think this involves a certain Saudi Crown Prince, upheaval in Lebanon and an attack on Iran. Small wager here. Kushner gets indicted before he has any chance to be a part of his father-in-law's latest disaster in the making.
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@JWMathews: As we New Yorkers like to say:"From your lips, to God's ear!"
1
The headline sounds like something from Saturday Night Live.
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A middle east peace plan? We still haven't seen the plan to defeat ISIS in 30 days or the wall.
Note to everyone: When Trump says he has a plan, that means nothing's gonna happen.
14
People tell me it ought to be a tremendous, fantastic, plan.
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Many people...
1
I feel confident in the peace process, now that a 36 year old with no foreign policy experience whatsoever is leading the way.
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I don't necessarily endorse this particular 36-year-old -- but bear in mind that the US Constitution says he's old enough to be President. We should stop extending our notion of childhood to older and older ages, and expect adult behavior at younger ages.
(Written by a senior citizen)
4
We live longer. Also, some of us never grow up (see the father in law).
2