The "deal making" is VERY similar to the impeachment farce in the United States.
One side presents the facts: Israel is not entitled to one sand grain of the West Bank, Gaza or East Jerusalem. They are Occupied Palestinian Land under international law and must be relinquished. This is the centerpiece of the internationally endorsed two-state solution.
The other side tries to smear, distract, obfuscate, make excuses, lie and continue its criminal conduct to achieve its desired result, irrespective of the law.
It's as simple as that.
8
The settlements aren't the problem. Do having neighbors of another ethnicity grounds for ongoing violence against the Jews? It is the lack of acceptance by the Arabs that these neighbors have the right to live in peace.
After 72 years, Israel is deciding to move on without them, as the Palestinians refuse to consider anything but their maximalist demands, totally lacking any compromise, not only failing to consider Israel's right to exist in peace and security, but hoping to undermine it in the process.
What is so sad is that if the Arabs would accept peace with Israel, Israel would make sure that they would also live in peace, security, and prosperity.
57
@Asch
Read the Balfour Doctrine. Then tell us that Jewish leaders have lived up to it vis a vis the Palestinians.
49
@Asch A declarative sentence that the settlements aren't the problem does not mean that the settlements are not the problem. For one side of this agreement, the Palestinians, the settlements obviously are a problem. Although this author's argument is that the Palestinians have no regard for the Israelis, he, in effect, begins his comment with a sentence that makes the Palestinians (and their concerns) simply disappear, too. It's hopeless.
54
@Asch: Why would the Palestinians trust anything the State of Israel offers. The Israeli army forced the Palestinians out of their own country. The State of Israel has blockaded Gaza for decades. The State of Israel has illegal settlements in Palestine. The State of Israel just annexed the Golan Heights.
Come on, The State of Israel has made it plain to anyone who is willing to see the truth that its goals are to annex all of Palestine, forcing all the Palestinians to flee for their lives.
55
“Netanyahu,” he added, “cannot both run a country and run a trial.”
Why not? Trump has been able to for the last three years all by himself without Democrats and seems to have done a pretty good job of it as well, only to add to perpetually prosecuting Democrats' nose disjoint.
3
@John Doe
Deficit at record levels
N Korea launching ICBMs
Record farm bankruptcies
Thousands still homeless in Puerto Rico
Wealth gap at historic levels
Less than 2% economic growth at the end of 2019
Rollback of environmental protections for clean water and clean air
Tax break for rich and corporations, not middle/lower class
No healthcare plan
No infrastructure plan
Mexico is not paying for the wall
Tariffs are taxes on Americans, not China
Turned his back on the Kurds
Russia has more influence in Middle East
Drug prices are still increasing
Endless investigations, investigating the investigators, finding nothing, doing nothing.
Yep, pretty good job indeed.
31
@Tom, you forgot undoing Original Sin. But Trump still has until November so there’s still plenty of time. Just imagine Democrats’ hatred toward him then if he did.
@John Doe
Our President, who art in Washington, hallowed be thy golden name. Thy kingdom won, thy will be done, scorched earth as it is in Australia.
Give us tax cuts and deny the welfare state their bread, and deliver us from the evil of socialist Democrats and their anti-capitalist job killing regulations.
And forgive us for our deficits, but not those who are against us, and lead them straight to damnation (or at least lock them up).
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever, as says the electoral college.
Amen.
6
This may come as a shock to many but it is no secret that Israel will soon officially take back the Jordan Valley and other lands that are historic Jewish territory.
Trump is a fool but even fools can do the right thing from time to time.
Jerusalem is the capitol of a Jewish state. It has been so for over 3,000 years. This proclamation of US support has already happened by moving our embassy there. Several other countries have or will soon do so.
The Golan Heights, retaken from the Syrian occupiers, is now part of Israel. The world protested and has now moved on.
In a while, the world will have forgotten about the fact that at one time the West Bank of the Jordan was not officially Israel.
It will be a de facto reality on the ground.
Once these lands have been reabsorbed into Israel they are Jewish lands forever.
The world may protest but they will soon move on to other things as they always do.
History is on our side.
11
@Simon Sez
The law, past UNSC agreements, and simple ethics are on the Palestinian side and this does not bode well for the long term peace and security of the Israeli people.
The governments could well move on to other things, but the peoples of the world are a separate story.
14
@Simon Sez
If you want to argue that Israel can unilaterally redraw the map of Israel and that the Palestinians are too weak to stop them you may be right. Russia will probably re-absorb Ukraine and milatarily the Ukraine can't beat them in a war. But don't try to pass it off as a peace plan. Be honest. This isn't peace. it's called conquest.
28
How many peace plans can the Palestinians reject and claim that they really want peace? Where do they go from here here?
How do you even start a peace agreement when those like Abbas deny any Jewish claims to the Temple Mount? Imagine what would happen if an Israeli leader denied what Islam has said occurred at Al Aksa?
How can you have a peace when the other side denies your historical, indigenous, religious, and cultural ties to the area including your most important religious and historical sites?
How can you believe that Palestinians want peace when they have an opportunity with Gaza to demonstrate you can be a peaceful economically and politically thriving neighbor but instead only choose as their goal to destroy Israel proper?
How can you make peace when your "partner" doesn't realize that land claimed by both sides is 'disputed" and not occupied?
How can you make peace when 22 Arab states with 400M people and 13M square km, argue over 5K square km of the West Bank?
How can you make peace when the issue of 850K Jews being expelled from Arab countries after 1948 is not dealt with?
How can Palestinian leaders make peace when peace will extinguish their careers and jeopardize their personal fortunes.
I absolutely CAN and WILL criticize Israel when needed. They surely are leveraging their upper hand, but lets stop playing games here. The Palestinians will not get a better deal without war. Take the deal for the future of your children. You won't get a better one..
3
Don't call it annexation. Its a "preplanned build out" of adjacent territory.
Its too bad Palestinians don't see the advantage of taking $50 billion for an updated apartheid spin complete with "aboriginal preserves" in a disconnected patchwork of cultural quarantines.
Modern colonialism has its preferred euphemisms.
4
I am watching the American President and Israeli Prime Minister live on CNN and can not believe a word and I have the feeling that they are a bit out of touch to say the least.
2
So trump thinks this is the closest Palestinians and Israelis have come to peace, and yet only Netanyahu accompanies him as he introduces his plan? Riiight.
Yawn. Another trump delusion.
4
Isn't it also time for Abbas to go? How come nobody else sees that Abbas has long overstayed his welcome with nothing to show for it?
A actual peace agreement. The Good Friday deal in Northern Ireland. The IRA, the Irish Republic the government of Northern Ireland, and the UK government all sign on to a actual agreement, no side gets everything they want but the war basically ended. Trumps notion of a peace agreement, his "peace plan.' Announce it, get one side, Israel, on board, declare victory, run his re-election campaign. He states that the countries in the region are on board, but he can't tell which country is on board.If they are on board then why don't they announce their support. israel has said ok, other then that nothing. This is Trumps version of "Mission Accomplished." We all know how that worked out.
5
And how exactly does Trump (USA) confer property to another state half a world away, just asking for a couple of nations.
7
Every president since Nixon has made an attempt at creating a fair and balanced peace agreement that could, if accepted and implemented lead to a resolution of this generations old conflict in the Middle East. Every president until now.
My confidence that this administration, these players are acting in good faith and with a true intent to resolve this conflict fairly is less than zero. My instinct tells me they are intent on establishing Israel as victor and Palestine as vanquished.
It's impossible for me to forget Israel's systematic assassination and extermination of hundreds of Palestinian leaders in the 80's and 90's with the sole intent to vanquish their worthy opposition and deal a fatal blow to any potential resolution to this conflict. I believe they have never seriously considered a fair trade of land for peace and the establishment of a Palestinian state. Any other option in my opinion is DOA.
7
I despise Trump and don't trust Netanyahu, but it is also time to demand the Palestinian leadership do more than just play the victim card.
It's time for Fatah and Hamas to outline what an acceptable offer might look like. For decades they have gotten a free pass for simply rejecting every proposal without countering. How is that leadership? How is that a way out?
Grandstanding about how you've been wronged will achieve nothing. Where is the Palestinian plan to move forward?
I read the Kushner original here in the NY Times. It was an attempt to bribe the Palestinians to give up on an independent state by offering them money and job opportunity. Arab money, of course. The Palestinians rejected the plan, understandably. This article mentioned a presentation of the economic part of the plan and there was a mention of the billions Trump supposedly can produce. It doesn't look like a peace plan, it looks like Trump is meddling in the Israeli election to help Netanyahu. It looks like yet another Trump distraction.
6
The beginning of a carve-up for their international real-estate deals. A new twist on colonialism.
8
This is possibly a first, two leaders on trial for corruption at the same time, from two wealthy, powerful nations, appearing together in the White House.
Could things get anymore surreal!
8
Isn’t it wonderful to see two leaders, oh no two men, oh no two criminals walking hand in hand discussing how they can get whatever they want from unsuspecting people, no suspecting people who never thought they would see the day they would so easily corrupt the world. I wonder what nefarious plans they are coming up with next. Don’t worry we’ll know soon enough. They do everything in plain sight.
7
Trump says about the Israel election system which has produced three elections in one year “What kind of system is that”...yes much better to have a system where the losing candidate gets 3 million more votes than her competitor but because of some archaic system developed in 1804 doesn’t become President...now that’s a system.
6
Trump knows U.S. taxpayers will have to borrow that $50 billion, and/or pay back favors. The State of Israel holds almost $50 billion in U.S. Treasury securities (our national debt).
Why is Trump offering U.S. taxpayer borrowed financial assistance when Israel can and should use their money?
8
Either Palestinians have their own nation or they are voting members of Israel. Anything else (even with money thrown into the Palestinians) will perpetuate the subjugation of Palestinians as a people displaced and oppressed.
32
This is going to be the global version of that school group project where one person did all the work, another will claim all the credit, and they forgot to include 50% of the assignment.
2
I carry this quote with me:
Jamal Hussein, Arab representative to the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine, giving the official Arab response to the UN's proposal to partition Palestine, October 1947: "We will not accept UNSCOP's majority nor minority report. Instead we promise to drench the soil of the Holy Land with the last drop of our blood in the lawful defense of all and every inch of it. We will not agree to partition, further Jewish immigration, or a Jewish state. (We) will accept only an independent democratic Arab state embracing all of Palestine."
Nothing has changed.
The Arabs subsequently turned down this proposal, Israel's offer to return captured land in 1967 (3 no's of Khartoum), the Oslo Accord, and Olmert's offer to a democratically elected Abbas in 2007. Each time they started a war and each time they lost the war. Each subsequent time they were offered less.
Now the Palestinian's unelected leadership is refusing to even discuss another proposal. "It's not enough, it isn't fair, he's not fair" is not the reason, the statement above is still the position.
Since these people have no mandate, let Trump negotiate with a substitute that will represent the future of the Palestinian people manifested by due process, rule of law, and an end to rhetorical and monetary support for terrorists.
Then we'll declare the conflict over.
Waiting for the leadership to negotiate, unchanged since Mr. Husseini's statement above, is a waste of time.
1
This is a historically illegal action that isn’t made legal by presidents who each have long histories of criminal behavior.
8
Trump think this is just an enormous real estate deal...
7
The problem is neither side really has any incentive to negotiate or compromise.
Netanyahu has repeatedly won based on a strong anti-Palestinian platform. And the leaders of the Palestinians hang on to their offices by demonizing Israel.
Trump's "peace plan" is the Potemkin village of plans. It's all veneer with nothing behind it.
2
All I see is an impeached President aiding an indicted Prime Minister. How can one give credence to any plan involving those two?
9
This isn't a peace plan.
I have a real one: Israel fully annexes all of the West Bank and Gaza, makes all current residents full citizens with full freedom of movement throughout the country, changes its name to Palestine, and removes all religious preferences from their constitution.
7
The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom.
H. L. Mencken
Apparently Trumpf subscribes to this theory although I doubt Trumpf has ever read or even heard of the writer Mencken, a long time resident of the neighbourhood of West Baltimore.
As Trumpf ages, the 'very stable genius' seems to become more unstable and notably less of a genius. Sad. Bigly Sad.
4
A pair of corrupt right-wing demagogues joined in pursuit of a distraction from their ongoing prosecution for flagrant corruption and malfeasance.
Another proud day in history.
10
Everyone is in an uproar about where we might come up with the money for medicaid for all, yet it's nary a thought for this deal. So now, are WE financially responsible for Israel's peace plan? I think the money is best spent on the American people. And as for Jordan, has anyone asked or reported on how THEY might feel about this? I mean, we are talking about giving away a piece of land we or the Israeli's don't even own. Just business as usual.
7
A disgusting situation of one-sided work purely to leverage the Israeli election. And shameful paternalism toward Palestinians. A shame before the world.
I and the public know
What all schoolchildren learn,
Those to whom evil is done
Do evil in return. - W. H. Auden
12
How nice. Two of the most corrupt politicians in history posing for a photo op and showering each other with flattery.
22
Another Trump lie; trying to avoid the impeachment. Adelson and Netanyahu own trump and pulled his leash to make him sit. All the Jews are speaking; but not one Palestinian . If you tell a lie enough; people will start to think it might be true. That applies to Trump and Israel. I’m ashamed of my country especially the bad president; so easily bought.
9
Israel and Palestine will be two states living in peace side by side. The Trump's Mideast peace plan does deserve a chance to work for both the states.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2VHjWWj80I
2
Thank you for simply reporting this story. CNN did not even carry live the speeches of the presidents of the US and Israel in one of the momentous moments in history but instead only covered the fact that an NPR reporter had been called out by Pompeo. Give it up CNN and NYT and open your eyes to what is happening in this country. Listen to the people and not your own narrow view of the world as echoed by your own base.
1
Sorry, but it’s not the job of a legitimate news organization to “listen to the people.” It’s their job to report facts. If people don’t want facts, there are plenty of outlets available to them.
4
@Confused How is this moment and more "momentous" than all of the other, previously failed, attempts at peace. The more apologists speak for this administration - the more delusional they appear.
2
Lets start calling things by their proper name. The Israelis are Palestinian Jews, while the other Palestinians are mostly Muslim. It is the Muslim Palestinians who attacked Israel, that is the Jewish Palestinians, in innumerable occasions and lost every single time. The Muslim Palestinians have only two choices left: continue living the bitter life of the defeated, or build a nation within the territories they currently inhabit to finally live in peace with its neighbors. Over more than 70 years Muslim Palestinians have squandered many opportunities to get a different outcome.
2
This is a land grab disguised as a "peace plan."
12
@L. L. Nelson Both are real-estate developers.
3
It's true that Trump has been the greatest ally of Israel in a while. However, this is a mixed blessing for American Jews in my opinion. It is akin to the mad, murderous Emporer Caligula having a soft spot for the Roman province of Judea.
2
Kushner is revealing himself to be a real bird brain!
The only things he knows how to do are scheme, deceive, swindle....
What else could this guy have been if not the Presidential Son In Law???
5
Not that this is new but has there been any other time in history when you actually could name more than a couple of people in charge who are despicable? And their henchmen, oh sorry cabinet’s, or associates, or family?
3
Lets see two gangsters standing side by side. What do the Palestinians get try ZERO. Trump has allowed them to take the Golan Heights, cut off all funding for even humanitarian aid for Palestinians and all the settlements made legal. Now, all the Palestinians have to do pardon and I will probably get kicked off is bend over. Where is the $50 billion coming from I can guess some from the US government that seems to be printing money as fast as the printing presses can turn it out. Just printed another $84 billion this week, hey but no inflation or problem. I am sure Kushner and the Merry Men have some land development in the plan to make them lots of money. Hey, according to Mike Evans all the Arab states are on board they just can't say anything. Of course it is interesting about how will Egypt react - easy Bibi and the US will buy Sissi off. One of the most corrupt governments in the area where it seems not mentioned one of the items that Bibi is charged with and still ongoing is given approval for Egypt to purchase German subs of which Bibi made $10 million. Try looking up the new list of corrupt states and guess what the US and Israel are right up there. Hey, the Palestinians will get a Trump Hotel where they can be the maids and busboys. Israel and its income soars one comment yes, with millions from the US taxpayers. Gee did they bring any of those wonderful evangelical to stand there also. Kushner's father the convicted felon. Gang of thieves. Jim Trautman
9
And then Trump came down from the mountain and handed Bibi his "peace plan" to go forth and take back to the people of Israel. And all Trumpians rejoiced and small animals were sacrificed to thank Trump.
7
The notion that the US brings value to these international quagmires is a fallacy. The US does not need to be involved at all. Peace in that region is not the responsibility of the US. Cut all aid and make smart domestic investments with the savings.
4
Israel needs muster some courage and tell West Bank Palestinians that they can forget about an independent state on the West Bank. They had their chance. They didn't take it. That ship has sailed. The region's demographics have changed.
The West Bank needs to be incorporated into Israel-proper. West Bankers should get full Israeli citizenship and rights. Palestinians who lost land, money or businesses should get Just Compensation as under the legal Doctrine of Eminent Domain. Forget about "right of return". People get cash instead. You want something back, take your cash and buy it back if it's available.
West Bank Palestinians can get some autonomy as French Canadians do in Quebec. And that's it. Case closed.
With the huge influx of Jews since 1948 the region allotted to Jews is too small to support a viable state for Jews much less two states.
At the same time, the UN should declare Gaza an independent state whether Gaza wants it or not. Israel vacated Gaza years ago. Egypt doesn't want Gaza back. Independence is the only viable outcome.
There's your Palestinian State. Gaza!
1
@MIKEinNYC or we could just make everybody a citizen of Israel and stop this nonsense of a state reserved for one religion.
11
@Edward Allen Jews had been persecuted for centuries in majority-gentile countries. Even when not actively persecuting the Jews, the majority-gentile countries refused to give refuge to the Jews when they needed it. There would have been no Holocaust if majority-gentile countries would have allowed in Jewish refugees who were escaping from the Nazis. The idea of Zionism was that Jews would return to their homeland & have a majority-Jewish country because majority-gentile countries had failed to provide safety for the Jews.
I’m Jewish. I support Israel. It’s time for Netanyahu to go, And there is no way the Palestinians will accept this deal. It’s dead on arrival. This is just a ploy by Trump to support his fellow right winger.
15
The UN Secretary General needs to come forward saying that any peace plan, American or otherwise, must be in conformance with official UNSC resolutions.
Some current member of the UNSC should table a motion stating that, given repeated violations of the UN Charter by the US regarding Jerusalem, Golan, and now the west Bank, the United States of America should be suspended from UN membership pending conformance with all UN resolutions and international law.
8
This is making me sick. I know Christians who live in Jerusalem and Jordan and whose families are from Palestine. They oppose expanding Israel’s borders.
This is nothing but another land grab by Bibi, giving Trump an opportunity to do something provocative to distract from his impeachment.
What a mess.
7
I never thought I'd say this but I feel sorry for the Palestinians. They blew so many chances in the past to have a realistic two state solution by insisting on the totally unrealistic right of return and refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist. Their terrorism of the past didn't help. But now the Arab world is tired of their intransigence and inability to govern not to mention their lack of any resource that could benefit them financially and has abandoned them. And they have no champions in power in the rapidly right leaning West. So the immoral leadership of Israel (a real tragedy for my co-religionists) and the worse despicable leadership of my country and our people will doom them to the eventual absorption by Israel into a state where they will be second class citizens at best.
3
Two criminals proposing a new scheme. Just lovely.
12
The intermediary between Israel and the Palestinians certainly is flawed. But that's no reason to reject the peace plan he has proposed. In this case you are free to "shoot" the messenger but don't blow off the message.
2
Will the people in Palestine who are absorbed into Israel now be voting in Israeli elections?
6
So does this mean if approved United States taxpayers are no longer going to give Egypt 2 billion a year and Jordan 1 billion per year as per Jimmy Carter peace plan in 1976?
1
@Independent voter have not you been listening to the impeachment trials, any money given to foreign nations equals to quid pro quo and impeachment.
1
@CD Only if it goes into the president's pocket or buys him a personal favor.
2
This is nothing more than a propaganda stunt by two corrupt and flailing heads of state. This plan has about as much chance of becoming reality, as me waking in the morning to find leprechauns leading unicorns laden with gold into my living room.
7
Middle East peace? Where is it? Is
Palestine also in the plan? Any piece of the plan?First of all where is the Holy Land? Do you have any idea about it Mr. trumpet pardon(!) trump?
2
Trump has promised $50 billion to the Palestinians. Will he insist on investigating corruption by the Palestinians before they get the aid? ( The source of the funding has not been identified specified)
5
A "peace plan" that calls for the recognition of a Zionist conquest and hegemony over the Palestinian people is probably not going to be accepted by anyone in the world, other than the ultranationalists and religious extremists in the Netanyahu and Trump regimes.
6
Calling a one sided agreement a plan for peace is another lie. Just because tRump says it is a peace plan doesn’t make it one, especially if the parties they are “bringing together “ refuse to even meet.
10
The Democrats and all their supporters and the left wing media are scared to death that Trump's two State plan will work.
1
@NYChap You know this how? Recall his N Korea plan? Like most "plans" if you give enough money out most people will play along till they see another payday.
5
What a pity this all is with a lot of blame to go around. In the early 20th century there was a dream in the Middle East of a unified secular state that included Muslims, Christians and Jews. Secular leaders welcomed the early influx of European Jews they hoped would bring Western ideas and advancements to the region. The dream never had a chance because it ran afoul of British and French imperialism, the economic desires of the oil companies, the dynastic ambitions of tribal leaders, Muslim fundamentalism and Zionism, sectarian and tribal divisions among the Arabs and the takeover of the secular movement by corrupt authoritarians. What a different world we would have lived in if it had worked.
4
Amazing. Two corrupt leaders facing removal from office, or worse, criminal consequences, joining together to establish policy in the world's most complicated and problematic region. Could this possibly be an attempt to distract and mislead voters?
15
This is a plan, not a peace plan.
8
Dead on arrival proposal to give Trump's base the impression of progress where none actually exists. Truly fake news.
8
Is there some law providing that each U.S. president must propose a "peace plan" for Israel and the Palestinians, even though everybody knows it will be DOA?
I guess I have as much right as anybody else to propose a plan, so here's mine. Keep shooting at each other every so often. Rocks, bullets, the occasional rocket, whatever. Just try to keep the casualties down. It's been your M.O. for decades, no reason to think it can't continue.
I know that's not exactly a "peace" plan, but it has one major advantage over those that have come before it: it's far more realistic. And whether I get credit or not, that's what they're going to do.
1
One state, citizenship for all regardless of religion and ethnicity–problem solved. Worked in South Africa, worked in the United States. Pretending that this conflict is "complicated" and requires an intricate solution through a so-called "peace process" is just an attempt to blur the lines and sow confusion. Instead, let's decolonize the land and make everybody equal. That's how we achieve true justice.
8
@David One state would soon become majority Arab. The chance that a majority Arab state would be as democratic as Israel is virtually zero.
Israel was ranked 30 out of 167 on The Economist's Democracy Index. That's better than Greece, Cyprus & at least a dozen other European countries.
The highest Arab state is Tunisia which is ranked 69. Palestine is 109, Libya 154, Sudan 155, Yemen 158, Saudi Arabia 159, Algeria 126, Egypt 127, Qatar 133, Oman 140, United Arab Emirates 147, Bahrain 148, Morocco 100, Lebanon 106, Iraq 114, Jordan 115, Kuwait 116, Comoros 121, Mauritania 119, Djibouti 146, Syria 166.
2
The first step in annexation is de facto control. This is the way of the world. The creation and expansion of Israel was and still is no different. The Arab street may respond adversely but the leaders of the Arab world look firstly to their own realms of hegemonic influence. No one in power in the region cares much about the Palestinian people except insofar as it enhances their own power. In US domestic political terms annexation panders to the end times wing of the evangelical movement.
The signs are everywhere. Let us not even attempt to do anything about them. Let the fires burn, the reefs die, the money flow to the top, and Israel expand to its biblical borders. Hallelujah. A certain person is coming.
4
The rich and the ordinary people think differently. The rich, Kushner and Trump, believe the Palestinians will sell their future for a few dollars. I am not as confident as them. Not every thing has a price.
7
One has to asked, why does a country with 8 million citizens need nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. And how can it complain when it's neighbors or other sovereign nations try to develop their own weapons. And as an American taxpayer I'm trying of funding their military.
6
I don't understand why each President has to come up with a new mid-east peace plan. When all else fails, read the instructions--the Clinton Parameters.
2
The European Union must step up to the plate by declaring that any peace plan that does not respect UN resolutions and established international law must be rejected.
5
@Greg The UN is prejudiced against Israel.
For example, the UN criticized only one country for its treatment of women. It was not Saudi Arabia where women were not allowed to drive. It was not Egypt or Iraq or Yemen where girls suffer from female genital mutilation. It was not Palestine or Jordan or Iran where women are subjected to honor killings. It was Israel – a country that has had a female prime minister & female fighter pilots.
The 10 worst countries for human rights are: Syria, Sudan, DR Congo, Pakistan, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar, Yemen & Nigeria. So why are there more UN Resolutions against Israel, a liberal democracy, than against the 10 worst countries combined?
There is no boycott of China even though China invaded Tibet & transferred millions of Chinese settlers into Tibet.
There is no boycott of Turkey even though Turkey occupies part of Cyprus and Turkish settlers have moved into occupied Cyprus.
There is no boycott of Morocco which occupies part of Western Sahara.
Unlike China, Turkey and Morocco, the Israel's occupation began because Israel was attacked. Also, unlike China, Turkey and Morocco, Israel offered to end the occupation if Palestinians would sign a peace treaty.
3
Is Donald so lacking in patriotism and statesmanship that he believes "economic rewards of $50 billion" will sway the Palestinians?
Can it be that Donald really doesn't know people who wouldn't sell out their own country?
7
@Occupy Government Palestinians don't have a country, so there is nothing to sell. All they have is a pipe dream, one that is rapidly fading away as most of the world makes peace with Israel. If you doubt this, why are the Middle Eastern countries suddenly making overtures to Israel and not siding with the Palestinians? Palestinians have nothing to offer to the World; Israel, on the other hand, has a lot to offer.
Right-wing nationalism is a critically flawed ideology/plan of action that will surely lead to division and violence.
Did anyone on the right take a history class, ever?
13
For a peace plan to work people have to agree. What are they announcing? This is all noise.
16
A plan forged to help Netanyahu and Trump with their upcoming elections and to help distract from Netanyahu's and Trump's legal problems. What's not to like?
22
So- Russian or other foreign interference in US elections is illegal, unacceptable and perhaps even a cover act of war yet overt US interference in an election like the one this week in Israel is all good? Therr would seem to be some kind of dimensional warp at play here.
1
Why are we the US giving 50 billion to the Palestinians? Do we not have things to do here at home that could use that money/ If Israel wants the deal let them pay for it.
7
The response from the Palestinians should be short and simple:
"The legal and human rights of the Palestinian people are not for sale".
17
@Greg The Palestinians of Gaza have no freedom of speech, no freedom of the press, no freedom of assembly no freedom of religion.
It makes no sense to blame the Israelis or the Jews because there are no Israelis or Jews in Gaza. Jews lived in Gaza for centuries, but were ethnically cleansed by the Palestinians in 1929. If the people of Gaza want freedom, if the people of Gaza want their rights, they need to overthrow Hamas.
3
I am waiting for a journalist asking Mr. Trump: How did you negotiated this "peace plan" without discussing it with one side of the conflict; the Palestinians?
And he will answer: "This is another fake news. In fact I had long, difficult, discussions with Yasser Arafat (sic!) and, at the end he was open to our ideas. To be frank, we fell in love!"
8
“Senior adviser,” Jared Kushner, huh? He still got that $600 mil bailout load from the Kuwaitis?
Good grief.
13
The Palestinians are ridiculous - they want the “right of return” to Israel. Despite the fact they came from Jordan and Egypt originally and were migrants to Judea and Samaria, the land contested. There were 850,000 Jews ethnically cleansed from Arab countries when Israel was founded. Will they be getting the “right of return”?
8
@XLER
With todays’s genetic and genealogical methods, I’m sure that a genetic marker for the people who lived in what is now Israel and the West Bank can be identified. Then Canaan can be given back to the Canaanites. That is of course the only logical extension of your argument.
2
What exactly do you think the history of West Palm is? Is it the home of your ancestors? Do you think European colonialism didn’t take America through genocide?
1
@XLER
By that reasoning, Jews should return to the city of Ur, where - according to legend - Abraham came from. And there were people in Judea and Samaria at the time like the Philistines and the Canaanites.
And for the Jews expelled from Arab countries: while I believe it was wrong to do so by the Arab countries, the Israeli gouvernment may have protested pro forma but needed and wanted those Jews to bolster their numbers and to tilt the balance to a majority Jewish country.
2
Few people sign-on to a plan deeply affecting them when they had no role in creating the plan. Someone needs to give Jared a heads-up - don't bother with Trump. He neither understands nor does he care.
3
This is a typical Trumpian pseudo peace plan. It is one sided and designed to appeal to the hard right supporters of Netanyahu. It is dead on delivery since it offers the Palestinian people very little.
It will not promote peace and compromise.
It is frankly just an embarrassing Trumpian PR ploy and is not a serious attempt to move towards a lasting peace.
17
Why $50 billion of the taxpayers money? A few billion here. A few billion there. That's a bit of change.
6
Does anyone believe $50b would go to "the Palistinians"? I suspect it would go to anaymous cronies and fronts. that's a lot of money for a habitual grifter to be glad-handing.
1
no credible leader would trust anything trump touches
19
At the very least we should get the Palestinian leaders to unconditionally surrender before imposing terms.
4
"The Trump University 'Peace in Israel Plan' it the Bestest Plan Ever!
To see details, submit your banking details to the Committee to Re-Elect the President for a VIP Club Preview!"
14
And submit the $500 “Review Fee”. Those truly interested in ending this age old conflict will want to become “Peace Networkers”. Yes, you too can become a peace advocate. For only $5,000 you can attend a Peace Networking event near you where you can talk about whatever you want-as long as your check clears.
Who knew peace was so easy.
1
Oh I see, they thought it was a 'piece' plan, Israel takes all the land remaining to Palestinians, piece by piece. Nothing for Palestine. That Jared Kushner is a genius, like his father-in-law!
17
Planning a deal without one of the party at the table is not a recipe for success. This is merely another smokescreen to divert people's attention. This plan will go nowhere, it is D.O.A.
13
@The Red Vegan Part of the problem is that consistent refusal of the Palestinians to occupy a seat at the table. Their strategy has long been to pressure "the world" into negotiating on their behalf--which is the only path they see to negotiations without having to ever acknowledge that their minimal demands are maximally unfulfillable.
Perhaps if the world showed that there is no path without coming to the table and compromising, there might be a realistic chance for peace?
2
The "peace plan" will go nowhere. Unfortunately it is Israel that has no long term geostrategic coherence. Arabs won't agree to an imposed settlement. US mideast policy since 1945 has always been entirely on wishful thinking.
3
The upshot is that the only available decent, legal and realistic option is a one-state solution. Israel should annex the remainder of the occupied territories and give all residents full Israeli citizenship.
7
Which of course would:
-mean that the current Palestinian residents would have freedom of movement
-and that Israel would cease to be a Jewish majority state within a few generations.
Unlikely.
1
"We keep waiting, and waiting, and waiting. So, let’s go. What kind of a system is that?” It is called a democracy trump.
And where is the $50 biion payment to come from trump, the US taxpayers to in effect purchase the Jordan Valley for Israel? This is just another land grab by Israel for the valley because Israel wants the water resources.
I trust the Palestinians will reject this plan.
9
Palestinians have rejected every peace plan for decades, because their ultimate aim is the destruction of Israel. Let’s be honest here.
3
@Steve Jews have lived in Palestine for thousands of years & were the settled majority for 1,600 years. No other people has had a state there for at least 3,000 years. We should not just assume that the West Bank is all Palestinian land. Most of Palestine was not owned by Palestinians. Almost half was government land (Ottoman & then British) large areas were owned by wealthy Arabs who lived in other countries. Zionists bought land. 80% of Palestinians had no land at all. Thousands of Arabs moved to Palestine after the Zionists arrived.
1
Thanks. Jared kushner-trump! Very best plan ever!
1
This is no different than the trump giving his blessing to Putin's take over of the Crimea, Erdogan's invasion of Kurdish territories and fossil fuel industries' takeover of Native American lands for drilling and pipelines. Now he gives his blessing to Israeli confiscation and theft of territory that's not his to give.
“the closest we’ve ever come” to an agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians" Agreement? Without talking to the Palestinians? Typical unilateral coercively imposed trump deal. The Palestinians have no choice in this. The divine-plutocrat has spoken.
Indeed, the self-chosen people and the self-chosen one claim divine right to "impose" their greed over other people's homeland - taking land that isn't theirs to take and using money that isn't theirs to spend (on themselves! How much of the $50billion will escape Bibi and trump's grasp?)
Nothing less than a land grab by the plutocrats - just as they are doing around the world (Amazon, etc.), leaving the masses to survive in what's left after scorched-earth capitalism is done polluting and destroying the land no longer exploitable - no different than fossil fuel plutocrats TAKING land that isn't theirs from Native Americans. Crooked-Bibi, crooked-Jared and crooked-trump are merely exploiting the Israeli-Palestinian tragedy for personal gain.
Will Israeli's ever recognize Palestine, what's left of it, as a Palestinian state? Of course not. They continue to demolish it out of existence - one home at a time.
7
@PAN Hope there's no plan for that $50 billion to come out of the pockets of American taxpayers.
1
@PAN Judea, from which Jews get their name, is also the Jewish homeland. Jews have lived there continuously for thousands of years. Jews had kingdoms there. Jews were expelled by the Romans but have always wanted to return. That's not greed.
$50 billion in aid to the Palestinians that Trump says he can deliver. Right. And what about the military aid that Ukraine was supposed to get? Even though the rest of the proposed ME plan is a non-starter, who in the world would believe anything Trump says.
11
While i don't agree with the idea of an American president making a peace proposal that is too tilted to one side, the Palestinians need to recognize that time is not on their side.
The Israeli economy is little short of a miracle; 60 years ago it was an agrarian-based joke, and now Intel, Google, and Berkshire-Hathaway have set up shop.
Israel is not going away and as time goes by, more and more nations around the world, including in the Arab world, are coming to see Israel as a friend and economic ally (India, for example).
In general, when there is a natural disaster anywhere in the world, the Israelis are pretty much the first ones to show up with mobile hospitals and medical technology to help out.
This does not go unnoticed.
The Palestinian strategy for the last 60 years has been to hope that the world's First World powers (the U.S., Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Russia,...) would force a peace proposal on the Israelis that is advantageous to the Palestinians.
Increasingly, the Israelis have the economic power to resist, even if those first world powers continue to apply pressure.
The Palestinians deserve peace and prosperity, but in order to achieve that, they need to accept reality. The "right of return" to their former homes in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is a pipe dream. Instead of concentrating on that, they need to figure out how to get Intel and Google to set up shop in a Palestinian state.
40
@G
How about I come take your house away from you at gunpoint and send you off somewhere else, and then tell you getting your house back is a pipe dream. Would you cut a deal with me for anything?
31
@G Maybe it is a bit easier to develop when you are gifted 148 billion dollar of American tax money over the years.
31
@miche
If so, maybe Palestinians should have accepted the Clinton Parameters, which would have opened up significant funding for them, among other things?
3
It's not a peace plan. It's a quid pro quo. Another quid pro quo, where two corrupt politicians seek to aid the other's re-election.
12
From the trump view everyone is like him, everyone is for sale. No one has ethics, integrity, principles; there is no purpose in life other than getting money and anyone that is known to have a “reputation” for ethics and integrity is only using that for marketing themselves—is all fake.
trump of course has this GREAT INSIGHT into human nature—in the trump world everyone and anyone would sell themselves out for money.
11
The biggest and the best plan/deal EVER? How many presidents before him have reached agreements only to find their hopes dashed? Plenty. This is yet another one of those "greatest hits" Trump wants us all to sing along with him. If you do not have the Palestinians backing up this plan, it will go nowhere fast. It is sickening to watch this president use and create unrealistic goals as a political scheme.
2
This is a one sided plan - just like Truman never considered the Arab view when he voted in the UN.
4
There is exactly zero chance that the Palestinians will embrace this plan.
Trump's claim that the Palestinians will endorse it is utterly ridiculous, in contradiction to the cautious tone adopted in this column.
However, Trump believes that it is true, and so it becomes true for the Emperor (with no clothes). He isn't lying, it is simply the truth because he says so.
6
This is just another... pay no attention to the man behind the curtain... moment.
5
What did Trump do? He took out his trusty Sharpie pen and redrew the map os Israeli and Palestinian territory.The Palestinians of course were not consulted and will not agree to this giveaway of Palestinian territory.Trump is trying to help Netanyahu win an election and he is setting himself up as the great negotiator in the Middle East.He has not had talks.In his fantasy world all he needs is a map and a Sharpie and all will be well.
6
The US media have been waiting for an issue or a plan that would unite Republicans and Democrats, and by extension the country. I seems that they have found one. And the easiest way to express that plan is: "Let's stick it to the Palestinians."
5
Well, if Trump says this is the bestest greatest deal ever, no wonder the Palestinians will accept it.
Look at the deals we've cut with North Korea.
9
You can thank the hypocrisy of mike pence for is latest bit of incompetent foreign policy.
4
An indicted PM and an Impeached President deciding the fate of nations.
21
The only deal Trump has consummated since taking office has been the one with the Republican Senate He told them if they didn't stick with him he would really 'give them the business' and they agreed. How reluctantly remains a question.All the other deals a still pending.
4
Would “annexing” these territories make all inhabitants Israeli citizens?
Is that what Israelis and Palestinians actually want?
6
@Bailey T. Dog
Correct, and as I noted in my comment here yesterday, annexation will not happen for that very reason.
Trump's biggest problem is that he thinks he can buy anything and anyone. With the US Treasury, he's sure he has an unlimited supply of $$$ because he literally does not care about borrowing it from our children and grandchildren. He never cared about borrowing it from anyone, so long as it didn't have to come from his pocket and ultimately, he gets something out of the deal.
18
@Brookhawk bankruptcy is his business model
6
Peace plan? Nope, another gift giving to his bosses.
8
The FBI and DOJ need to raid the White House to determine what halucinogen is being smoked or otherwise consumed there - because it must be very potent to generate this flight of fancy. It is not a peace plan. It is an invitation to further conflict.
15
I'm just wondering why if Trump is so concerned with corruption in countries receiving military aid from the U.S. he is giving a White House meeting to the leader of a country who is under actual indictment for corruption by a fair judicial system.
Why isn't he sending Rudy off to Israel to root out its corruption.
36
@Steve Rudy will be one of the next to go. I trust.
1
By offering plans that make the share of Israel bigger and bigger within Palestine, the US influence in the sense that it is pushing the ball towards the least unjust and least painful solution: A single democratic state for two people.
5
@Frozy
The capacity for the Israelis to force out Arabs, as they have done with greater or lesser success since the inception of the Jewish theocracy decades ago, leads me to conclude this land grab will ultimately result in displacement of Arabs living in the West Bank.
1
I guess that the prior peace plans by past Administrations haven’t worked out very well. Maybe it is time to really integrate the Jewish and non Jewish factions. But would mixing people of different religions, different races and different nationalities into one country work? I wonder where there might be a model to provide some insight.
2
@William McCain Northern Ireland?
2
Kushner put it together, so of course it is doomed to fail. How can you establish a plan when only one side of a two-sided conflict? It seems like a last ditch effort to keep Netanyahu out of prison.
125
@Philip W What would Kushner do for an actual job?
10
@Philip W
You doubt the ability of a 39-year-old real estate manager with no expertise in history or diplomacy to craft an Israel-Palestine peace agreement after decades of failure?
23
@Philip W Jared Kushner couldn't put together any organized intelligent plan, let alone a peace plan. He should be out selling real estate and taking poor people to court over rent payments. That is where is talent lies.
12
I heard Trump on the radio this AM proclaiming that many Arab nations had endorsed his great plan. A list of those nations seems to be notably lacking.
17
This "plan" will go nowhere because it is essentially a concoction of the Trump administration with the consent of Netanyahu, et al. Regardless of what the Palestinians may have been promised, they were not a party to this deal and will therefore reject it out of hand. Like everything else from the Trump administration it is bound to fail. If there will ever be a real peaceful solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict it will not come out of the Trump administration.
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 past official US foreign policy, is consistent with UN Resolutions and international law, is consistent with the principles laid out by the UN 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.
It comes down to what Netanyahu & Co. wants vs what the rest of the world needs.
19
@Greg
Right of return is a non starter.
Give them title to Jewish properties seized in Arab lands as compensation.
4
@Greg
The Armistice lines between Jordan and Israel aren’t ‘borders’...and were never intended as such. So Israel will not be ‘going back’ to imaginary ‘borders’ that never existed in the first place.
1
@Susanna
Ok then, we can resurrect the 1948 borders.
6
Nothing better than two corrupt politicians meeting to decide the fate of a nation. Of course the outcome will be a complete surprise.
38
Wars do not have do-overs.
The Arab States (there were) were no Palestinians until they invented themselves post 1973) have never accepted anything other than 'all'; not all of the west bank which was stolen by Jordan after the 1947, but all of the land from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean.
Israel was ready to accept almost any deal for peace, relinquishing the Sinai (twice), Gaza, parts of the West Bank and cities such as Jericho.
At some point, reality must step in; Israel is here to stay, compromises not ultimatums must be accepted, and prosperity and freedom can only be derived from an equitable peace.
17
@Dr. Sam Rosenblum
The "facts on the ground" concept is an insult to the concept of law.
6
@Greg
Golan is going nowhere. Really
1
@Dr. Sam Rosenblum thank you for endorsing war crimes. Annexation is a massive violation of international law. At some point reality must step in. The two state option is basically dead. Apartheid is unacceptable. Time to give all Palestinians full citizenship.
Or If you don’t like that maybe Israel can take some radical good faith efforts for once
4
Would both sides be open to redrawing the borders around two realistic, good-faith contiguous states? As it is Palestine, is split into land blocks and further punctured by settlements making it hard to achieve peace without a grander agreement.
27
The Palestinians have to start by recognizing Israel’s right to exist......
4
@Baboo Gingi Where have you been? They did that multiple times, mot recently in 1993, meeting all diplomatic requirements. You can read those documents, as I did, on the website of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
13
@Baboo Gingi
Where have you been? The Palestinians have , several times, officially recognized the State of Israel. The question is when is Israel going to recognize the State of Palestine.
6
Nothing more than another reelection tactic for both men.
40
Donald Trump's Mideast Plan? That's easy! It's the same plan he has for everything. Which is, "Support my reelection campaign and you can do whatever you want!"
53
I find it fascinating that this “plan” will be introduced by an impeached president and an indicted prime minister. They deserve each other.
132
On a square footage basis, the price of 50 billion is astronomically higher than what was offered for Greenland. Just another reason why realtors like Trump and Jared should steer clear of diplomacy.
25
Why promise $50 billion to the Middle East and not to our neighbors in Central America?
36
@Martin Dyer
It seems the money will come from rich Arab states.
1
@Martin Dyer Because all of the money we have given to Central America is now sitting in Swiss or Panama bank accounts.
1
Peace in the Middle East is just another shiny object to distract trumps followers from his impeachment hearings.
35
@Psst Rabbit!!!!! Squirrel!!!!!
When Palestinians said no in 2000 to the Clinton Parameters, they made it clear they would rather have no loaf than 90 percent of a loaf. The loaf will keep getting smaller until they say yes. Their call.
14
@Snowball , Clinton plan was to create Bantunistan rather than
a contiguous Palestinian state.
Clinton is a strong Israeli
supporter, hardly a neutral peace
maker. His negotiation tactics
were atrocious-he would first
meet Ehud Barak asking him what
he wants and the terms he would accept- then pressure Yasir Arafat to accept . When Arafat wouldn't, he would shout at him, berate him, try to bribe with a promise of aid. In fact Clinton was a messenger for Ehud Barak, not an objective, neutral peace maker.
5
@Snowball
When you get 90% of the loaf, Israel holds the bread knife, and tell's when you can eat, you start wondering. Whats going on here, that loaf belongs to me in the first place.
4
This is hardly "peace talks" if one side is not invited. It is more like two leaders who are suspected of corruption, attempting to gain some distraction from their dilemmas.
23
@Henry Rawlinson The Arab Palestinians were invited and refused to entertain any plan braught forward by Mr. Trump.
11
@Dr. Sam Rosenblum Invited for what? The formulation of Trump's peace plan or the ceremony of its declaration? Be clear please.
5
@Dr. Sam Rosenblum
Correct. It is not wise to negotiate with known criminals.
10
Predict that the plan will be very simple, very unrealistic ( very unclear why it took 3 years to put together). Basically Trump is using this and everything else he can find to distract from his impeachment trial.
26
Doesn’t everyone wish it was that easy!
5
Just out of curiosity, does anyone really care anymore what this administration thinks and proposes?
69
I care because this administration has the potential to impact the world in adverse way. With that said, I don’t TRUST anything that this administration does...
11
@Two Americas Media surely does.
Newspapers, TV news, talk shows
are mostly Trump. Sick and tired of
reading newspapers and watching TV
news.
1
Oy Vey.
Every Single Day there is something Trump has done to destroy hard won progress, achievements and the world order and stability. Sure the Palestinians will like it - they have to or else.
15
Israeli “settlers”, many who were placed illegally, are outnumbered 6 to 1 by Jordan Palestinians in the Jordan Valley area. The Kingdom of Jordan has rejected this deal since it was first proposed in 1980.
Unjust and unworkable as this “deal” is, it really won’ t distract any attention from the impeachment, let’s hope the pundits in the media and Trump realize this.
34
"We keep waiting and waiting," "What kind of system is that.?" Unfortunately, Trump. not everyone can buy an election like you did.
17
@Betsy Herring
It was bought for him by Putie and Citizens United.
This sounds like a $50 billion "offer you can't refuse" buy out. We'll take the land and here's your compensation. Like it or not. I'm sure to many right-wing Israelis and their American supporters this sounds like a righteous and reasonable deal. To the people losing their land and may likely never see a penny of the $50 billion might not think they're getting such a great deal. It's all a matter of perspective. This will solve nothing and lead to more hard feelings and entrenchment of anti-Israeli feelings by the Palestinians.
23
If the $50 billion WAS a compensation to the Palestinians maybe they were willing to talk.....
This is not a peace plan. It is the legalization of theft.
69
So powerful enemies attack you with stated genocidal intent, you push them back and take land - and you call that theft.
You offer the land back for peace - some take it and get their land back - others do not - and you call that theft.
Then you offer huge amounts of money to help those who are victims of their own recalcitrance-and that apparently is also theft.
@FilmMD
You're right, but Trump thought it was a "piece" plan (spelling never being his long cofeve), and being famous, he would be allowed to just grab it by the Palestinian, aided and abetted by Bibi and Jared.
Whats' at stake here is the whole principle of living in a rules-based society. We either believe in law and order or we accept chaos and untold loss of blood and treasure. Outlaws like Ttump, Netanyahu, and MBS must be sidelined.
52
Like every other "foreign policy initiative" emanating from this White House, Trump's "Mideast peace plan" is an unfunny joke. It was apparently dreamed up by Trump's Zionist son-in-law, Jared Kushner, without consulting the Palestinians and is little more than a thinly disguised ploy to please Israel's hard-right settler bloc and help Netanyahu win re-election. Hopefully a more sensible majority of the Israeli electorate will see through it and send Netanyahu packing straight to prison.
62
The "plan" is a naked attempt to boost Netanyahu in the Israeli elections. It has no credibility among Palestinians, and Trump's statement that Arab governments are secretly in favor of it is yet another one of his more than 15,000 lies.
53
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said today.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
Mr. Netanyahu consistently does whatever he needs to do to protect and advance the interests of Israel and the Jewish people, displaying in the course of his service as Prime Minister a great deal of courage, flexibility and patience.
If and when Palestinian leaders ever emerge who are willing to accept an independent Palestinian State living alongside a Jewish Israel, Mr. Netanyahu will arrive at the peace conference a year or two before they do.
For long-term survival and effectiveness, look to the career of Winston Churchill for a statesman to compare him to.
2
@A. Stanton
"Mr. Netanyahu consistently does whatever he needs to do to protect and advance the interests of Mr. Netanyahu, displaying in the course of his service as Prime Minister a great deal of dishonesty, corruption, and megalomania."
Fixed it for you.
6
As is usual when an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan is proposed, those opposing it offer nothing in the way of an alternative.
I don’t profess to know all the details but know that it will be tough for the Palestinians to swallow. But then again, by launching wars against Israel, they’ve squandered much goodwill.
It’s important that Trump’s plan has the backing of the Arab nations. They have long since stopped using the Palestinian cause as a reason to attack Israel. There’s no way that Jordan and Egypt – recipients of huge amounts of financial aid from the US – are going to object. It’s highly likely that the flawed but highly influential Mohammad Bin Salman has already signed on.
Then Trump has promised $50 billion in aid to the Palestinians. Hope they use it to get an economy going, build schools and hospitals and give their young people a future that doesn’t glorifying standing at the Israeli border hurling rocks.
5
@Mike Edwards - it would have helped if the Israeli's had been less opportunistic during the last 70 years and compensated Palestinian land owners for property taken and occupied. It's very valuable now and the Palestinians didn't even see a few dollars wot rth of beads.
It's ironic that socialism has such a bad reputation here when so called peace plans deposit - or claim they will deposit - 50 bln on a government that can only distribute it through a socialist system.
Or should the Palestinians look forward to a system where big money development is reclaimed by those already very wealthy elsewhere and not directly to those who really needed it or deserved it by international law?
Israel has not been shy about claiming compensation for losses incurred during the Nazi Genocide. They never seem to officially notice that Palestinians also have valid claims to looses incurred due to war.
Kushner should never have been but in an important position in the current - one can't really call them negotiations. He has been quoted as believing the Palestinians deserve to be punished. They don't deserve to be punished and have reacted the way other population would have reacted when confronted with force majeure.
2
The promised $50B is another falsehood being peddled by the US administration. The US has pledged exactly zero dollars and you should expect the Arab nations to follow the leader as there is no incentive for them to provide that level of funding. Their constituents- the so called Arab street - has moved on from this conflict.
How is it that the U.S. and Jared Kushner are allowed to redraw countries boundary lines? Who gave them the authority to do this.
Surely not the Palestinians, whom apparently weren’t considered or consulted.
And this is a peace plan?
No, just another distraction.
82
Annexation simply means full and frank apartheid, with Palestinians, particularly in the west Bank, with virtually no ability to have a voice in their own lives. This is a one state solution with the self avowed Jewish state whistling past the fact that about half its effective population will be, at best, second class citizens. Until Israel is a secular democracy for all its people the world needs to keep the pressure on, non violently, thus, boycott, divestment, sanctions.
23
The "demilitarization" of a Palestinian Arab entity means no sovereignty. Israeli sovereignty of most settlements and in the Jordan Valley creates a map almost indistinguishable from South Africa's bantustans during the late stages of apartheid. Forcing Palestinian Arabs to recognize Israel as a "Jewish State", an irrelevance in international law, is the equivalent of the bully's forcing his victim to "say 'Uncle'". The upshot of all this is certain dismissal by everyone except those whose views were considered in devising this "plan".
20
If this wasn't an utter disgrace and insult to human rights and sovereign countries everywhere, it would be beyond laughable. As it is, more shame all around. Kudos.
23
I am a Jew, and a Zionist — but the old-fashioned kind that had hoped Israel would be “ a light among nations”. This doesn’t sound like any kind of a peace plan, but a naked land grab. I am deeply ashamed and worried about what how the moral underpinning of Judaism can be so discarded in dealing with the Palestinian people.
114
@Ruth Steinberg
This is what happens when intelligent readers such as Ruth read narrowly.
What other people would allow themselves to be overrun by gangs of murderers?
What other people who have won every war in self-defense would give advantages to their attackers?
In 2020, continued identification with the so-called underdog is astounding.
8
@Ruth Steinberg Bless you Ruth, and keep that open mind, well, open!
4
Trump-Pence continue to promise whatever they belief necessary to secure votes. In this case to attempt to lure rational American Jewish voters to support the T-P ticket in November and to bolster Netanyahu's upcoming bid.
17
This "peace plan" is reminiscent of American policy in the late 1700's into the 1800's regarding land expansion. History recalls that it was great for America but Native Americans, not so much. It is the hubris of humanity that we believe we can erase a race of people in the name of peace and prosperity. But hey, don't let this downer ruin today's "great" White House ceremony.
170
@Mark If you dig in Palestine, you will find ancient Jewish synagogues, ancient Jewish ritual baths & ancient Jewish coins.
If you dig in America, you will NOT find ancient Christian churches and ancient coins.
Jews have lived in Palestine for thousands of years.
Caucasians have not lived in America for thousands of years.
Palestinians oppressed Jews for centuries.
Native Americans did not oppress Europeans for centuries.
When Zionists moved to Palestine, there was a dramatic increase in the native population.
When European colonists came to America, there was a dramatic decrease in the Native population..
9
@m1945
If you dig anywhere in the United States, you will find ancient First Nations' heritage sites, as well as ancient Olmec and Mayan ruins and coins.
11
@m1945
So we can all agree that comparing Israel to American expansionism isn't a fruitful exercise.
But - "When Zionists moved to Palestine, there was a dramatic increase in the native population"
Is patently and blatantly false. These people were Europeans, fleeing persecution. They were not displaced native peoples. You're also ignoring the bloody history of Zionism and the thousands of people killed during the wars that followed.
This is why peace is difficult. How far in the past are we willing to go? Who is right? Wrong? Which atrocities are worse?
Israel is an imaginary line drawn in the sand drawn by Britain and France as spoils of war. They just wanted the Jewish people on their side vs Russia after the Jewish people supported Germany in WWI.
Peace is very unlikely in the Middle East because the West did such an excellent job of mucking it up. This "peace plan" does nothing but appease Israel, at the expense of the Palestinians - who are also the "native" population.
10
" Mr. Trump also asserted of the plan: “Many of the Arab nations have agreed to it. They like it. They think it’s great.” No Arab leader has publicly embraced the as-yet-unreleased plan..."
Just add that Trump lie to the over 16,000 that he has already told. The man has no shame or sense of honesty but what is really sad are those who support him don't care if he is a liar.
33
Trump may be disappointed when he learns that the two parties to the peace process are not Netanyahu and Gantz.
10
Trump's "peace plan" is straightforward. Just give Bibi whatever he wants.
13
Trump’s Peace Plan is bad. The Palestinians, justifiably, will reject it. But let’s remember that since 1882 the Arab side was unable to agree to any deal involving a non-Arab nation’s claims to any piece of land in the Middle East, be it Kurdistan or Israel.
5
@Spensky
And let's also remember that Israel has never offered the Palestinians the opportunity to live in a truly sovereign state, free from any and all of Israeli control.
Any such action will provide abundant rationale for future attacks on the American empire.
3
The fact that Trump could not bring the Palestinians to the table to discuss his "plan" is probably a indicator that the plan won't work. In fact, this is simply a campaign stunt. Remember, this is the same man who has already "solved" the North Korean nuclear issue. He knows this won't work. He simply needs a piece of paper that he can wave at his rally's to claim that he has brought peace to the Middle east. Trump and Fox are still touting Trump's 'Historic' North Korean deal. No nukes have been dismantled, the testing has never ended, not a single inspector is on the ground, there are no scheduled talks,yet Trump has the guts to brag about a historic foreign policy accomplishment that has produced zero results. Zero. Now he has a map, with no sharpie circles, that he can boast about at rallies. The fact that it will produce no actual peace is beside the point.
15
The Palestinians want statehood. Reasonable.
The state they want is Israel. Not reasonable.
trump’s diplomacy is essentially to bully someone into submission. It hasn’t been working. It won’t work here.
I’m for a two state solution but I’m not sure there is one that both sides will accept. That ship sailed when Arafat turned down an even better deal for the Palestinians.
8
@Steve Ell If Palestinians were actually interested in statehood, they would have declared independence in 1948. Instead, they asked for union with Jordan.
1
Some plan. Any inmate of an insane asylum could come up with a better one if the objective was to find a way where people in generations to come could live together. It is more like a political plan to reelect the prime minister. After, all, Trump will need him come November.
5
At first glance, I thought this was a laughably bad attempt at a deal.
At second glance, I thought it was an attempt by two presidents to distract from their respective domestic legal woes.
At third glance, I see that it is a devious plan by two would-be autocrats to co-sign for each other’s bad-faith effort, ultimately intended to legitimize a bloody conflict with intentions to begin the formal annexation of Palestine. And that the only real motivation is the ruthlessly selfish [my second glance comment].
Based on what is reported here, it sounds like the Palestinians will be forced to sell their futures for a song. This is just going to result in horrific violence and bloodshed. It probably will help bolster Netanyahu. It seems unlikely to have a significant positive effect on 45’s circumstances.
186
@Ryan Lewis Germany's choice: Decide to live in peace even though that means giving up 25% of its land or fight the occupation. Germany decided to live in peace & has had 70 years of peace & prosperity. Palestinians' choice: the Clinton Parameters giving up 3% or fight. Palestinians chose to fight & have war & poverty. Who chose more wisely?
8
@Ryan Lewis , While I agree with you otherwise, I think that the plan (which is also a policy statement) will help Trump with the religious right and pro-Israel donors and voters. Zionism and what it means for the Palestinians is also a divisive and polarizing issue within the Democratic party (one that can't easily be bridged, IMHO). Exacerbating it and fracturing the Democrats will only help Trump.
As for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict itself, if you're saying that this plan will greenlight unilateral Israeli annexation of the settlements and the Jordan Valley, you're probably right. It cabins future U.S. policy and should make clear that any actual two state solution is dead, and that the future is some sort of one state solution.
9
@Ryan Lewis Losing wars have consequences. By giving the Arabs the false hope that the world will somehow agree to isolate or sanction the nationstate of the Jewish people until the Arabs get everything they want will not bring peace. While that tactic won’t stop Israel from continuing to prosper and adding immensely to modernity, for the Palestinian Arabs (whose leaders hold them in thrall) it is a recipe for their continuing suffering. It is past time that they face the reality of a situation they created and are responsible for.
4
This isn’t a “peace deal”. It’s the terms of Palestinian surrender.
The Israel/Palestinian conflict is essentially over, and Israel won.
They won because the Cold War ended and Russia no longer supports Palestinians. They won because Israel aligned with Sunni Arab states in the ongoing Sunni/Shiite Cold War. Israel won because Iran now finds the price of supporting Palestinians to be too high.
One by one, Palestinians’ crucial pillars of international support have crumbled.
Palestinian leaders won’t like the terms of surrender, but ultimately they will accept them once the Palestinian people realize that there is no better alternative.
One can like or dislike this, but it is the new reality.
11
@John
As the terms of their surrender, they should demand that all of the West Bank and Gaza become Israel, lock, stock and barrel. With every inhabitant granted the exactly same rights.
So, a Jew wants to spend his life studying Thora and get a stipend from the state? Then so can a muslim studying the Koran with the same stipend. Or a Palestinian Christian to study for priest.
If one marries a non-Isreali, no matter the religion, the same rules to bring the spouse to Israel...
Jews can live freely everywhere, in Hebron
Same rules and rights for everyone.
Let's wait for the objections from the Jewish side of this equation. 3-2-1...
1
An important news development to go along with this article.
PM Netanyahu has now formally been indicted for corruption. This is the first time that a sitting PM has been indicted. This just took place a few hours after he dropped his request for immunity.
The PM will meet with Trump for the announcement of the peace plan.
The Palestinians will be required to recognize Israel as a Jewish state which they have refused to do . They will get about 70% of the West Bank to build their state.
They have 3 weeks to accept the plan.
If they refuse to cooperate then they lose everything and Israel is free to do whatever it wants with the US fully supporting it.
The Palestinian factions, none of which have participated in democratic elections for years, have already announced that they will settle for nothing less than 100% of their agenda of opposing Israel, taking all the land, and being funded by the West indefinitely.
The West Bank settlers groups have already announced their opposition to the plan since it allows for a Palestinian state on land they covet.
The world may protest the plan but will quickly move on to other matters as its attention is diverted.
In the end, the Palestinians will end up with nothing but their rhetoric and Israel will annex the Jordan Valley.
3
Biggest deficit in history so that he can avoid taxes and now he's bribing people left and right for votes! With our (borrowed) money! There's no such thing as a conservative in America. Just Pharisees and hypocrites.
8
How does a guy who’s under indictment sign a “peace” plan? Will Israel just shred it once he’s in prison? He knew the indictment was coming down today.
6
Have the Palestinians ever wanted peace? They seem to, along with Hamas, want more and perpetual revenge and bloodshed. Trump is an unlikely candidate to solve this issue. Yet he is often lucky. Bash him if you please. Yet this could cease the rockets and rifles. The Arabs and Jews have fought each other for over 5,000 years. Israel is ready for peace. They get generous terms here. There will be enough money flowing to keep most Palestinians busy with jobs instead of tossing rocks at soldiers. Hope it works, but you can also expect another 5000 years of low level warfare, as an outcome. Hope for better...
4
How can it be “the closest we’ve ever come” to an agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians when the Palestinians don’t know what it is and are unlikely to accept it? Who’s the “we” in Trump’s statement? If it doesn’t include the Palestinians, and it doesn’t, there is no we and no agreement either.
20
The misguided notion that one small group of miscreants can "give" one people's land and resources to another people, is simply absurd and an affront to the laws and principles we rely on for peaceful co-existence.
33
@Greg. Sorry, but that was already done by the world community, acting through the League of Nations under international law, back in 1922 when it bounded the historical homeland of the indigenous Jewish people and created a framework for the restoration of their right to self-determination. The Mandate territory as it existed at its termination in 1948 constitutes 0.25% of the lands of the former Ottoman Empire. The other 99.75% is today ruled by Arabs and no indigenous people, other than the Jews, were able to gain independence.
The Trump plan is consistent with current legal principles. The problem arises when you have one group that, despite serial defeats, refuses all compromise and holds their own people hostage while the rulers (whether the PA or Hamas) enrich themselves from the international welfare payments that continue to pour in.
10
@Charlie in NY
Decisions of the League of Nations were replaced, not adopted.
Article 1 of UN General Assembly resolution 24(I) reserved the right of the UN to decide not to assume any function or power of the League of Nations. On the 19th March 1948, during the 271st meeting of the Security Council, US Ambassador Warren Austin pointed out: “The record seems to us entirely clear that the United Nations did not take over the League of Nations Mandate system”.
7
@Greg. Your old talking point is a deflection. Article 80 of the UN Charter specifically prohibited the UN from diminishing any rights granted peoples (including the Jewish peoples) under any still-existing Mandate - of which that for Palestine was one. That provision illustrates why your claim is false. That provision is also one of the legal foundations for the superior right of Israel to sovereignty over the Mandate lands as it existed in 1948. The Arabs of Palestine have the least plausible claim to sovereignty as they never, at any time in history, exercised sovereignty and they are not (as their clan names all betray) the indigenous population of that territory.
Even with the better claim, Israel has shown itself ready to compromise. The rulers of the Palestinian Arabs, not so much. The Palestinian Arab people, well we really don’t know what they want because the PA and Hamas don’t let them speak freely.
5
I await with dread this next catastrophe.
12
A “peace plan” that institutionalizes Israel’s control over the entire region. What an imaginative plan!
Trump is making another quid pro quo, this time for his buddy and mentor Netanyahu. We just haven’t been told what is in it for Trump.
17
The Palestinians are the Native Americans of our time. If they fight back against having their land stolen, this is used as an excuse to take even more -- for the sake of security. If they do not fight back and engage in negotiations, the outcome is the same, as the Oslo Accord so amply demonstrates. And the West is silent!
18
@Peter Schaeffer Check real history. The Palestinians are nothing like the Native Americans. To be so would mean they would have to have been the only indigenous, self governing people in the region for and archeological fact proves otherwise.
12
And they get the Palestinians on board by offering them a cut of the loot later? Sounds like the typical land development deal where those not in control of the money end up losers. It looks like the typical 'bulldozers are rolling so get on board and hope, or else get plowed into the ground' kind of deal that Trump is famous for.
1
@Victor Lacca But Trump's got an envelope with $50 Billion.
Makes his earlier corruption look small.
1
A picture for the gods: An elected Prime Minister indicted for corruption and bribery, hosted by an accidentally elected President facing impeachment for actions that amount to bribery and cover-up of those actions. No one, not even Weinstein, would have bought a Hollywood script like this.
21
Of course, the US have experience with stealing the land of the natives, putting them in reservations and offering them financial compensation that never arrives.
In that sense this is indeed a very American plan.
What is new is the idea that the US can give land away that isn't theirs to start with.
I wonder how any Israeli can possibly think that this is a peace plan. Don't they have history books in Israel?
21
Does Trump have any notion of the history of Palestine. I'm guessing he thinks The State of Israel has existed for thousands of years. The video in yesterday's NY Times of Trump's donor dinner exposed even more of Trump's ignorance...he didn't know aluminum was lighter than steel, he thought the only options for tucks and cars was gasoline or electric.. He didn't know about diesel, propane, natural or compressed gas. Proved he had no idea how tariffs affected importers of steel or aluminum. He couldn't understand why the President's cup wasn't as popular as the Ryder Cup. It's worth watching the whole hour and a half to see what a light weight he really is.
95
@Tom. While there have been several Jewish sovereign entities on the territory known as the Land of Israel, the Holy Land or Palestine, there has never been a sovereign entity called Palestine ruled by Arabs of Palestine.
The first time a territory called Palestine was created with recognized borders was when the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine was established in 1922. That Palestine represented the lands believed to be the historical homeland of the Jewish people. The goal of the Mandate was the re-establishment of the Jewish nation in their historical homeland.
As a matter of justice, this exercise of self-determination seems appropriate. But the questions remain: why do the Jewish people, alone among the region’s indigenous groups, get a state - why not the Kurds, Assyrians, Alawites, Maronites, Chaldeans and others?
Why is it just that the Arabs, the imperial conquerors displaced by the Turks, get to restore their rule over their lost conquests at the expense of the indigenous peoples? If they can’t grant equal rights to them in the lands they now rule, can’t they at least leave Israel, sitting on but 0.25% of the former Ottoman lands, alone? Better yet, can’t they learn from Israel on how to be a productive, civil society rather than seeking its destruction?
16
@Mike No it has not.
If it had the world would not have had to create the "state" of Israel.
The media bias starts right with the headline. Let's review facts:
- Jordan had sovereignty over the whole "valley" from 1948-1967.
- Israel has already had sovereignty over the area in dispute since 1967, more than 50 years.
- Jordan relinquished their claims to the disputed territory in 1988, and cancelled the Jordanian citizenship of all its citizens living there.
- Who never, in the history of the world, had sovereignty over the territory? A nation called Palestine. They only became "Palestinian" refugees when they lost their Jordanian citizenship in 1988.
Once we all start with the same historical facts, then we can try to understand what is happening today.
29
@FinJan
Let me add then a historical fact.
The people we call Palestinians have lived there for centuries.
To me this seems to provide some rights that are more legitimate than the claim to return to an ancestral homeland after 1900 years of absence.
10
@FinJan so maybe let them vote on if they want to be jordanian, israeli or palestinian citizens.
or perhaps principles are less important than facts on the ground.
3
Wondering if part of the 50 billion dollar deal, silent only between the two of them is Trump will build a hotel/golf course on the land acquired. Wouldn't put it past him as his presidency has been a boon to his pocket book.
32
One has to wonder what Trump promised Saudi Arabia so they would abandon the Palestinians. Mu guess nuclear technology.
I think Trump hopes to succeed by showing the Palestinians Iran is neutered and Saudi Arabia has turned it back on them.
Allowing Israel to take the best land along the Jordan river may be a hard sell.
19
President Trump can suggest any misguided idea he wishes to foreign leaders. They are under no obligation to listen to him as he is not their elected leader.
Trump's plan to permit Israel to annex the Jordon Valley must be music to Netanyahu's ears, as he constantly illegally grabs land outside of Israel's borders and illegally occupies it, ensuring its true owners are kept out.
But would Jordon like this occupation, or Egypt? It's interesting that two men guilty of crimes and currently on trial in their respective countries have, together, cooked up this "drug deal".
It's a grasping plan, featuring governmental overreach by the U.S. and Israel. Israel has rigid boundaries which the U.N. has twice-ordered them to stay within in recent years. Netanyahu ignores them.
As does Trump. Despite his boasts, he is a terrible negotiator and diplomat who has done nothing good for America. His "friendships" with North Korea, the Saudis and Russia endanger the U.S., the E.U., and the Middle East. His tariffs and trade wars crush Americans and allies.
His idea that he can somehow dictate the boundaries of Israel,and cause more death in the Middle East is delusional and illegal.
53
A plan it might be, but not about peace. You need all parties involved around the table to negotiate peace.
60
Why? Because negotiating with the Palestinians has been so successful in the past?
3
@Dirk D When will those who want a solution to the crisis put pressure on the Palestinians to come to the table or come up with a plan of their own? Why do they always get a free pass? How does that help?
2
The Muslim Arabs we now refer to as Palestinians have never accepted any type of peace plan or compromise since being presented with numerous opportunities since 1920. Israel continues to grow, evolve, excel, and contribute greatly to the world at large. Israel has strong relationships with the US, China, Russia, and India, and, amazingly, is at an unspoken peace with all Arab governments in the region.
The Jordan Valley, which is NOT a valley, is a necessary security area for Israel. It doesn't matter what it is called formally; it isn't going to change hands in our lifetimes.
I'd like to see the West Bank Muslim Arab leadership ( the PA) simply state what they envision as a viable solution from their point of view. Maybe they should create their own peace plan and hand it to the UN since they won't talk to Israel directly. Fine. Just do something.
I do not recommend formal annexation of the Jordan Valley by Israel. It doesn't matter. Just stay the course on that one. Security does not require annexation. And the international community will never force Israel to do anything. No worries.
13
Knowing their history, the Palestinians will pretty much never support anything if it means that they will have to recognize Israel as an existing Jewish state. Keep in mind that there were several attempts in the past especially with two major ones back in both 2000 and 2008 that would have given them exactly what they wanted, but they even rejected those. As long as the PA is run by terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Fatah, there will never be peace especially when they feel that Israel should never exist. Let's not forget how the unilateral withdraw of the Gaza Strip in exchange for peace talks never worked and Israel has gotten attacked from there ever since and this was after keeping their end of the bargain. I can still more recently when Bibi himself agreed to a settlement freeze so that Abbas would negotiate a peace deal with him, but never did and even demanded it to be extended despite having so many months to talk peace then, which shows how little preconditions can even work with them. Seriously, any peace plan would rile up the Palestinians no matter what is because in the end, the only Israel they want to see is no Israel at all. Until the Palestinians start waking up to those terrorist groups running the PA and make it real democracy, there will never be peace and a Palestinian state. In other words, we need to free Palestine from both Hamas and Fatah before thinking any further peace deals that we know they will never accept no matter what.
24
For any nation to mediate in any international dispute, it must at least pretend to be impartial and even handed. Be someone that both opposing parties trust and respect. The US has made it painfully clear to the Palestinians that they can't trust the Americans to be even handed. So it has destroyed its own ability to be an effective mediator.
29
@A Cynic When Trump says "negotiate", read "Cheat".
It works every time, if you want to make sense of his words.
5
I have long since come to believe that on the Israelis and Palestinians can settle this issue. No outside group or nation will ever come up with a plan which will settle the matter.
Trump, in his megalomania, thinks he can fix all of the world's tough problems. He believes that he and only he, can succeed where absolutely everyone else in the history of the world has failed. He also wants to help both himself (mainly himself) and Bibi in upcoming elections. Still, it sounds as if the "plan" essentially tries to bribe the Palestinians into accepting half-measures in exchange for money and a perk or two - ones Israel won't mind.
As has been true in the past, when the plan does not succeed, Israel, the American right, and Trump will blame the Palestinians. They will suggest that there was a 'beautiful plan,' but that the Palestinians do not really want peace. Israel will crack down harder; Bibi may take more land & encourage more settlements as he works to make life completely untenable for the Palestinians. People on both sides will continue to suffer the results.
34
@Anne-Marie Hislop
No one wants to or needs to listen to Trump, he is not even a major player because of his own criminal activities and his Impeachment.
Please leave these people alone.
1
@Anne-Marie Hislop Both leaders rely on their power to get what they want.
You are correct that "People on both sides will continue to suffer the results.", but the suffering falls on the people, so there's no cost to them.
2
The Trump plan was always pretty simple, buy them off. Give Israel all it desired, and mollify the Palestinians with money. Anyone familiar with the region could have told them this would fail, it's an old failed idea, tried many times already. The issues of religion and justice, right or wrong, preclude this approach and have done from the start.
108
No "solution" can be imposed on the Palestinian people. In the unlikely event some Palestinian leaders accept a "deal" it will be meaningless unless the Palestinian people have their say in a referendum. Otherwise there will be even more endless violence and no peace for either Israelis or Palestinians.
23
@Greg They don't do referendums because the popular vote among the Palestinians goes to Hamas (aka violence). Peace can ONLY be imposed.
7
@FinJan Peach can only be imposed? One of the most absurd things I've heard in a long time.
7
@FinJan That's complete nonsense. Hamas itself insists it will accept ANY peace deal, provided it is approved in a referendum by a simple majority of the Palestinian people. The leaders of Hamas declared this repeatedly.
The problem is and always has been Israel's illegal seizure of Palestinian land and refusal to abide by international law and the two-state solution endorsed by the entire world minus the US and Israel: A Palestinian state in the whole of the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital.
1
So we condemn Russia for annexing Crimea but encourage Israel to take more and more Palestinian land.
351
Given that our condemnation of Russia was more of a “nudge nudge wink wink” one, it can hardly be differentiated from Trump’s view of Israel. Trump likes the idea of strong leaders who invade their neighbors. If I were Canada I might be concerned about this view of national sovereignty. You never know what might happen when a bully runs a country. Particularly one who needs to distract his people from other matters.....
15
@SC: To be fair, Trump actually has no problem with Putin gulping down Crimea. At least he’s consistent in his support of injustice.
27
@SC - Trump hasn't condemned Russia for annexing Crimea. He seems to think anything and everything that the puppeteer does is a-ok. We should not be surprised that he's taking the same tack with Israel. In fact, we should have expected it.
9
Trump and Netanyahu think they can buy Palestinian rights. Billions of development dollars will be offered which would not be available to the Palestinians but to contractors under the approval and control of the Israeli authorities. It is shameful for one people to subjugate another people. The people of Israel should know this.
96
Wow! A whole $ 50 billion dollars in “rewards.” Will that be in beads or coupons?
It’s embarrassing that our “best and brightest” think everything and everyone has a price.
I’m not even involved and I’m insulted.
If it’s such a great deal, would the Jewish people accept the same to leave the area?
$50 billion in “rewards.” You can’t ask for more than that, can you?
159
@Tell the Truth
That's even assuming the "rewards" actually exist. Ask Trump's contractors about the chances of that occurring.
36
“Mr. Kushner argues that economic incentives can persuade the Palestinians to make peace with Israel.”
I want to laugh but I’m too stunned.
155
@Tell the Truth Since the Palestinians are always crying poverty, why wouldn't financial support be an incentive? They could actually build a functioning society.
3
@Jackie The palestinians are always crying occupation. Poverty is one inevitable consequences of occupation.
7
@Ahmed Dafaalla When Israel unilaterally pulled out of Gaza, Hamas could have built a flourishing society. Instead, they turned it into a terror camp. Their only export is rockets fired at Israeli citizens.
3
I’ll admit I didn’t even read the plan, but I can still guarantee it won’t work because peace plans in the Middle East never work.
8
@Alex That's not true. Think Egypt, Jordan.
2
@Alex, Actually they can. Israel made effective peace settlements with Egypt and with Jordan. But a starting point is that it must be done by negotiations between 2 nations in conflict. It cannot be imposed from the outside. The most recent negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs were at Oslo. It came close and was accepted by the negotiators on both sides but was rejected by Arafat. New negotiations should start from that agreement and build upon it.
7
"As for the weak and ailing Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, acceptance of the plan is impossible since it does not meet the most minimal of Palestinian demands."
One of the major problems is that the "minimal" Palestinian demands are also the "maximum" Palestinian demands. There is nothing in between. It is all or nothing, so it is nothing.
There were viable options on the table in the plans offered by Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert. Those plans are the maximum that Israel will put on the table without crossing a line of political-national and security suicide.
Turn that down, they got Mr. Trump.
The Palestinian response to the plan: a day of "anger" and demonstrations scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday). People will die.
22
I would be interested in where the 50 billion dollars are coming from. The deficient is rising at a record pace with a strong economy and low unemployment. Let me guess, it’s a 4-5 year plan. trump really does like the uneducated
19
@PRB
I think we already know that the Europeans are supposed to pay.
1
The Mideast Plan is the international version of Infrastructure Week.
79
It’s been 72 years of failed efforts. There is no reason to be particularly critical of this one.
9
@Sagi
I dont know if you can call Jimmy Carter's peace between Egypt and Israel "failed."
This plan on the other hand, should be dismissed out of hand as a failure. I mean, look at the group of characters who put it together!
4
If the past is any guide, this plan likely will call for some sort of financial consortium linking the Gulf States and Israel, Egypt, and Jordan with an eye to providing economic investment in the West Bank. There is a very strong case to be made that economic prosperity and opportunity for Palestinians will allow the emergence of a younger, more pragmatic, and more flexible Palestinian leadership.
The problem is whether this new leadership can replace the old, sclerotic and recalcitrant clique that currently is responsible for running the Palestinian Authority. Certainly Iran will not allow that to happen; it will continue to fund Hamas, PIJ and Hezbollah to ensure that any new leadership is either intimidated or assassinated.
Israeli annexation of the Jordan river valley or any other substantial territorial subdivision of the West Bank is highly unlikely, for the simple reason that the status quo is manageable and sustainable. The last thing Israel needs is for international attention to refocus on an intractable problem that will not be resolved anytime soon.
Ultimately, the Palestinians are not content with the status quo, but they are insufficiently motivated to restart an uprising. Nor do the Palestinians seek statehood.
This plan will probably fail to gain traction and evaporate as have so many plans before it. Neither Israel nor the Palestinians have any particular reason to change the situation as it currently exists.
7
How can you have a peace agreement in the Mideast without the Palestinians? This deal, as described in the article, is dead before it's released.
154
@PAUL Tribble. Which Palestinian Arabs are you referring to? Those ruled by the religious, genocidal fanatics of Hamas? Those ruled by the corrupt autocrats of the PA? Those whose allegiance is to their clan or local sheikh?
And there in lies the problem. No one really knows what the average Palestinian Arab wants.
6
@Charlie in NY And no one knows what the average Israeli wants since after 2 or 3 elections no one is able to form a majority government...
8
@Aubin Neither Hamas nor Fatah will allow elections. They abolished democracy once they were elected over a decade ago.
Israelis may be as split as Americans are, but they do have the right to vote. What legitimacy does the Palestinian leadership have? None.
A peace plan between two warring parties. In which the two representatives invited were both from ONE side, and NO ONE was invited from the other side.
This should be good.
333
@Paul C. McGlasson
The article says Abbas was invited but declined.
4
They were invited from both sides, but your “perfect” Palestinians who definitely aren’t controlled by terrorist groups who bomb Israel refused to show up.
4
@Paul C. McGlasson
Indeed since Jared ' Hidden Genius' Kushner has got this in his vast portfolio of success what could possibly go wrong?
5
There's not going to be anything approaching real peace between that pair of antagonists during the lifetimes of anyone now living. It's sheer fantasy to think otherwise.
16
Two con men, working side by side. Similar characters …
Trump hopes the "Plan" will bring him some piece amongst the turmoil of his "high crimes and misdemeanors" impeachment.
Netanyahu hopes the "Plan" will bring him some piece amongst the turmoil of his "fraud and breach of trust" criminal indictments.
Two flim flam men, together again!
120
The Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity..they have rejected multiple peace plans for over 70 years now since 1948, when the started a war to try and strangle Israel in its crib. I expect that the terrorist group Hamas will reject any deal that doesn't result in Israels destruction. And The Palestinian authority, a corrupt authority who had one election one time, who is lead by a weak leader will fumble and fritter away any opportunity for peace, just like it has always done.
40
@Pirranha299
Although I have zero respect for the Palestinian leadership either past or present, this ‘Peace Deal’ will offer no opportunities to the Palestinians nor is it intended to. It is entirely about two men trying to get re-elected and playing to their base.
213
@pirranha299
You forget (unless you never knew) that the state of Israel was founded on Palestinian land, without even consulting the Palestinians who, it might reasonably be expected, would be adverse to having their property stolen from them and their people turned-out to become refugees still living in camps in Jordan and Lebanon. The Palestinians didn't "start" a war - they fought to regain the land the foreign-Israeli usurpers stole from them. Since 1948 I think it is also reasonable for Israelis born in Israel to consider the land they were born in to be their land. The Palestinians are going to have to recognize this and come to terms with this demographic reality. In the meantime the Arab birth rate is rapidly making the Israelis more and more of a minority in the lands they occupy. Time will tell.
14
@Gwen Vilen You forgot it is also about two crooks trying to stay out of jail. Both are in big trouble out of office.
1
I’m getting tired of Israel telling us how high to jump! They are a wealthy nation. Cut off all aid to them and see how fast they solve the problems!
278
Amen to that!
41
@Kevin Bitz ~
Nah, they give Trump inside information about Democrats and liberals. They ARE worth billions.
And yet his lawyers keep pointing at how many countries Trump has delayed or outright denied aid to. You know, ones with people who really are fighting and starving and dying. But El Salvadorans don't have anyone here who votes for Trump.
4
@Kevin Bitz Indeed... stop the american paid welfare for Israel!
4
Again more lies from Trump. Just like revealing his tax returns the so called Mid-East peace plan is nonexistent. Kushner couldn’t negotiate his way out of a paper bag.
180
In the photo you will notice that Trump casts a big shadow on the wall and that Netanyahu casts a big shadow on Trump. This is how the Trump Administration's foreign policy in the Middle East is made.
66
I have a prediction about the plan -- Trump will lie, Jared Kushner will say something completely unrealistic about it, the Arabs will immediately discard it, and by Wednesday nobody will care any more and the subject will never be raised again.
231
@Rick ...except in Netanyahu's fund raising campaigns villifying Palestinians. That's the whole purpose.
6
The Trump-Kushner-Netanyahu "Deal of the Century" will be an attempt to buy Palestinian legal and human rights, using vast sums of money provided mainly by MBS of Saudi Arabia. The rights should never be bought and sold.
64
Yes Greg... you should tell that to the Iranian leadership, who sends millions of dollars each year to Hamas, PIJ, and Hezbollah to ensure that Palestinians remain polarized, divided and agitated.
25
Seems that Jared has been a bit tardy in submitting his homework assignment. I'm sure it's worth waiting for, and will resolve conflict in the Middle East for many (Trump and Netanyahu) generations to come.
29
@solar farmer
Perhaps Jared is working too hard on another homework assignment his father-in- law has recently given him: Getting the wall built.
Now there are two things that will never happen!
:
9
Let's look at the key players in this deal:
Trump, a shady real estate developer, known for quasi legal "deals", currently under impeachment proceedings, financially beholden to MBS of Saudi Arabia.
Kushner, another real estate developer with questionable ethics, son-in-law of Trump, and long-time family connections to Netanyahu.
Netanyahu a developer of real estate of lands on which he has no legal rights, suspected of crimes in Israel, and under investigation for war crimes in Gaza.
MBS of Saudi Arabia, financial saviour of Trump's real estate disasters, suspected of ordering a brutal murder.
ALL of these key players are under investigation of criminal activity. Any "deal" proposed by such immoral and unethical characters should never receive the consideration of anyone who believes in law and human rights for all.
397
@Greg
And then we have the criminal gangs who control the West Bank and Gaza. There's not much to look forward to, is there.
27
@Greg
"Any "deal" proposed by such immoral and unethical characters should never receive the consideration of anyone who believes in law and human rights for all."
Excellent suggestion. Let's wait until these characters are replaced by more moral and ethical ones.
How long will that take.....exactly?
10
@BayArea101
When criminal gangs controlled much of the American far West the law won.
3