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Trump unveils long-hyped Middle East peace plan which Palestinians have already rejected (WATCH LIVE) Trump proposes a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine in ‘win-win opportunity’ for both sides
(about 2 hours later)
US President Donald Trump is unveiling his ‘Deal of the Century’, a long-awaited plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinians have already said they are not accepting whatever Trump is going to offer. Donald Trump has proposed a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine which would see the Palestinian capital located in east Jerusalem, in a move the US president called a “big step towards peace.”
Trump is presenting his plan alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a ceremony in the White House in Washington, DC. The Israeli leader said his proposal is “the opportunity of a century.” Trump believes that while the Palestinians will reject it initially, “in the end they will” because “in fact it’s good for them.” Trump said that Israel had agreed to negotiate on the basis of a conceptual and detailed proposed map for the first time. If Israel agrees to the proposed map, the US will recognize it, he said.
The rosy expectations are not shared by the Palestinians themselves. Ahead of the unveiling of the plan they staged mass protests throughout the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. The expectation is that Trump wants them to accept Israeli annexation of their lands in exchange for aid payouts, which would end any hope for an independent Palestinian state. The plan will “more than double the Palestinian territory” and “no Israelis or Palestinians will be uprooted.” The US will also “proudly” open an embassy in the new Palestinian capital in east Jerusalem, Trump said.
A two-state solution has long been the stated goal of the Middle East peace process supported by previous US administrations. Trump, however, has made a series of unilateral concessions to Israel and is no longer considered a viable mediator by the Palestinians. Trump boasted that he has done “a lot” for Israel since taking office. It’s “only reasonable that I have to do a lot for the Palestinians” too or it “wouldn’t be fair," he added.
The plan will also set up a $50 billion economic revival program for Palestinians, Jordan and Egypt.
Standing alongside Trump, Netanyahu said the presence of ambassadors from Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates in Washington boded well for the success of the Trump plan.
Netanyahu said previous attempts to solve the crisis "did not strike the right balance" between dealing with Israel's fears for its security and Palestinians' desire for self-determination.
The PM also said that Trump has been the "best friend" Israel has ever had and though there have been good friends of Israel's in the White House before, they do not even "come close" to Trump.
Netanyahu was also full of praise for Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who was the chief author of the plan, saying that it was "great to have these real estate people" involved territorial disputes because they can “come up with things normal human beings don't think about.” He added that Israel owes both Kushner and Trump "an eternal debt of gratitude."
Despite the positive words from Washington, however, the Palestinian side has already said it will reject the plan. The Trump administration, having made numerous and major concessions to Israel since 2017, is not seen by the Palestinians as a neutral arbiter in the conflict.
Speaking to Reuters before the release of the plan, top Palestinian envoy to Britain Husam Zomlot said the announcement would be a "piece of political theatre" and will push the situation "over the cliff and into apartheid."
Meanwhile, Hamas also rejected the plan as "nonsense" and called Trump's statement "aggressive."
A top advisor to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tweeted that the Trump plan is "solely" a deal made "between the Zionist regime [of Israel] and America” and that interaction with Palestians is “not on the agenda.”
Jordan's foreign minister Ayman Safadi said, however, that the establishment of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as the capital is the "only path to comprehensive and lasting peace" but also warned against potential consequences of unilateral measures taken by Israel.
Following his remarks, Trump sent a tweet in Arabic with a map attached of "what the future state of Palestine might look like."
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