Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - As US President Donald Trump is currently preparing to unveil his long-awaited peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz in Washington this week, several officials from Arab states have already voiced their opposition to the project.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II has publicly spoken against Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” aiming to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying proposals that come at his country’s “expense” would be rejected, Israeli channel Kan 11 News reported.
“Our position is perfectly well-known. We will not accept proposals that come at our expense”, King Abdullah II reportedly said on Sunday during a conference in Jordanian’s Aqaba city.
Meanwhile, Kan 11 News argued that some officials in Gulf states were not rejecting Trump’s plan outright, even if it does not potentially include the creation of a Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders, stressing that it was time to “hear new ideas” now.
It is unclear so far whether the plan will include a provision to a Palestinian state according the region’s pre-1967 borders, but some reports and leaks to the media suggest that the deal could consolidate Israel’s control over one-third of the West Bank settlements, as well as to establish an army-less Palestinian state, however these claims have yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, Kan 11 News argued that some officials in Gulf states were not rejecting Trump’s plan outright, even if it does not potentially include the creation of a Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders, stressing that it was time to “hear new ideas” now.
It is unclear so far whether the plan will include a provision to a Palestinian state according the region’s pre-1967 borders, but some reports and leaks to the media suggest that the deal could consolidate Israel’s control over one-third of the West Bank settlements, as well as to establish an army-less Palestinian state, however these claims have yet to be confirmed.
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So far, the deal has been denounced by officials from the Palestinian Authority (PA), including a diplomat Saeb Erekat, who reportedly slammed the plan as something that would potentially endorse the Palestinian territory’s “permanent occupation”.
Jordan’s Position on PA
Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab states that have peace treaties with Israel, but according to King Abdullah II’s November remarks, Jordanian-Israeli relations are now at their lowest, following Netanyahu’s pledges to annex the Jordan Valley.
There are many Jordanians of Palestinian origin, as many resided within the Kingdom in the aftermath of the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War in 1967 and many are still considered refugees. There have been increased calls for Jordan to a confederation with the PA or recognise the Kingdom as a Palestinian state, but they have been repeatedly rejected by King Abdullah II who stressed to the Jordanian Parliament in 2014 that “Jordan is Jordan” and “Palestine is Palestine”, while also supporting a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Trump’s “Deal of the Century”
The US president is planning to unveil his long-expected Israeli-Palestinian peace plan this week during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival from the “Blue and White” party Benny Gantz, who arrived in Washington on Sunday. Little is known so far about the plan’s contents, apart from the economic portion suggesting massive investments in the Palestinian National Authority, including potential investments from the economies of regional powers.
Palestine rejects US mediation offer on Mideast plan
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected a request from U.S. President Donald Trump to speak by phone, an official said Monday.
Trump made the request a few days ago, said the official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
Last week, the White House announced that Trump will meet Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his election rival Benny Gantz, who heads the centrist Blue and White Party. They will discuss the prospects of his controversial Middle East peace deal, dubbed the "Deal of the Century."
Abbas has announced on several occasions his refusal to accept the U.S. plan, as it does not address the issues of Jerusalem, refugees and borders.
Israel's Channel 12 and 13 has said that Trump's plan would recognize Israeli sovereignty over virtually all settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law.
That would effectively move the U.S.-recognized Israeli border further east into Palestinian territory and Israeli sovereignty would be recognized over the whole of Jerusalem, which Palestinians seek as the capital of their future state.
The plan would also recognize a demilitarized Palestinian state at a later time reportedly, but Palestinian officials are highly unlikely to accept the plan, which Channel 12 said will also demand Hamas' disarmament and Palestinian recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
If the plan is revealed this week, it would come with Trump in the midst of his Senate impeachment trial and as the Israeli Knesset votes on possible immunity for Netanyahu in three graft cases.
*The Nation
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