President Donald Trump announced his Israeli/Palestinian “Peace to Prosperity” plan last Tuesday, calling it a “realistic two-state solution” and the “Deal of the Century.”
While claiming his solution was fair to both the Israelis and Palestinians, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, confirmed that a “meaningful portion” of the occupied West Bank would be allocated to Israel under the Trump plan.
This “Deal of the Century,” which permits Israel to occupy Palestinian land to build housing developments (i.e., “settlements”), is a violation of international law.
Justifying the violation of international Law, the Trump plan also grants permission for Israel to destroy houses within the Palestinian Authority by stating that “withdrawing from territory captured in a defensive war is a historical rarity.”
“The United States will recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory that my vision provides to be part of the State of Israel,” Trump declared.
The Trump peace plan, spearheaded by the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, also allots Israel air and sea control of every border within which the Palestinian people live.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: In America and much of Europe, those criticizing Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, laws that marginalize Arab citizenship in Israel, its repressive travel restrictions imposed on Palestinians, and those boycotting Israeli products in protest for its treatment of Palestinians are accused of being anti-Semitic.
Virtually omitted from U.S. media’s comments and analyses of the Trump plan is the fact that United Nations Security Council Resolution 242/338 explicitly forbid any country from expanding its territory by military force, which Israel has continued to do since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war when Israel captured and annexed East Jerusalem.
Therefore, Trump’s “vision” that Israel can break international law elevates his position as President of the United States to “Supreme Leader of the World,” who will see and do what he wants despite violation of laws… that are meaningless under his dictatorial rule.
“This dictates once and for all the eastern border of Israel,” said Mr. Netanyahu, applauding Trump’s dictatorial deal.
It should also be noted that the vast majority of the U.S. Congress has not challenged the Trump peace plan and will not condemn Israel for its repressive treatment of Palestinians, nor its illegal real estate developments on land Israel has stolen.
The Trump “Peace” Card
The U.S. approval of Israel moving its capital from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018 was particularly provocative, as Jerusalem has historic sites very sacred to both Jews and Muslims. The city has been divided since 1949, when Israel took control of the western part of the city while Palestinians lived in the eastern portion. Since then, most of the international community has considered East Jerusalem “occupied territory.”
The Palestinians have been officially trying to divide the city so they can live freely in the eastern section. Under the leadership of Netanyahu, the Israelis defiantly have opposed any such sharing of the city. Now the new Trump Middle East peace plan confirms that the holy city be the undivided Israeli capital.
Among those criticizing the Trump plan is Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who called it a blatant attempt to “legitimize Israel’s occupation” of Palestinian territories.
Paul Salem, president of the Middle East Institute in Washington, referred to the plan as “apartheid on steroids.”
Reacting to the plan, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer stated, “Having spent three years punishing Palestinians and distancing U.S. policy from any realistic positions that might lead to peace, the administration has unveiled a plan that Palestinians will justifiably reject, thus giving the administration an opportunity to support annexationist actions by Israel.”
Those Arab nations that have established deeper military/political ties with the United States, which had long supported Palestinian rights and condemned Israel for its illegal occupation and treatment of Palestinians, are now embracing the Trump plan.
Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) encouraged Palestinian leaders to accept the proposed conditions as a way to open new talks with Israel. Along with Bahrain, representatives of the three Arab countries travelled to Washington to offer symbolic support for the initiative. The UAE representative called the Trump plan “an important starting point for a return to negotiations.”
No Palestinians were present at the president’s White House announcement. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas firmly rejected the plan stating, “I say to Trump and Netanyahu: Jerusalem is not for sale, all our rights are not for sale and are not for bargain. And your deal, the conspiracy, will not pass.”
In 2018, President Trump expelled Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) diplomats from Washington, based on his opinion they had not done enough to make peace.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: As the saying goes, “Money talks, bullshit walks.” While PLO diplomats were not invited to the White House for the Trump peace plan announcement, sitting front in the front row were Sheldon and Miriam Adelson. Worth an estimated $35 billion, casino magnate Adelson had contributed an estimated $35 million to President Trump’s 2016 race for the White House and over $113 million the Republican Party in the 2018 midterm elections.
While such information is reported from time to time, absent is the denunciation of a person with money paying off politicians to do what he wants and not what is best for the American people.
As we noted in last week’s Trends Journal, Adelson had advised threatening Iran with a nuclear attack. He was instrumental in pushing for President Trump’s withdrawal from 2015’s U.S.-Iran nuclear deal and for moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. Indeed, America’s fourteenth richest man is said to have even offered to help pay for its construction.
