(VOVWORLD) - US President Donald Trump unveiled his new Middle East peace plan to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on January 28, recommending a “realistic” two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Trump calls it “the deal of the century” and a historic chance for Palestine to establish an independent state. The plan has had a mixed reception from Palestine, the Arab world, and the international community.
 US President Donald Trump unveils his new Middle East peace plan. |
Trump presented an 80-page plan, which devotes 50 pages to outlining a two-state solution to the prolonged dispute between Israel and Palestine. It proposes to form an independent Palestinian state with a capital based in a village east of Jerusalem. The plan shows new boundaries that will more than double the current Palestinian-controlled territory and will comprise portions of the West Bank and Gaza Strip connected by a series of tunnels and bridges. In order to gain statehood, Palestine has to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The US will recognize Israeli annexation of its settlements in Palestinian-claimed areas of the West Bank, settlements which are illegal under international law.
“New wine, old bottle”
Analysts say Trump’s approach to key problems of the dispute, including Jerusalem, Jewish settlements, and occupied areas, are not new. The plan is a follow-up to what Trump has already done: recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December, 2017, moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018, recognizing the Golan Height as part of Israel in March, 2019, and supporting Israel’s right to its illegal West Bank settlements in November, 2019. These moves, widely seen as evidence of bias toward Israel, have been strongly denounced by Palestine and other countries as obstacles to Middle East peace.
At a meeting of foreign ministers in the Saudi city of Jeddah, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC ) called on its 57 member states not to accept Trump’s plan or cooperate with the US administration’s efforts to enforce it in any way. The OIC, which represents more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, said in a statement that it rejects the US-Israeli plan, as it does not meet the minimum aspirations and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and contradicts the terms of reference of the peace process.
The Arab League last Saturday unanimously rejected Trump’s plan, calling it “unfair” to Palestinians because it does not meet the minimum rights and aspirations of Palestinian people. The Arab League has always considered East Jerusalem the capital of an independent Palestinian state with boundaries that were set before the 1967 war. The Arab leaders said they will not cooperate with the US administration on this plan. Palestinian leaders have denounced the US for destroying the Middle East peace process by introducing an irresponsible and biased plan.
Unfeasible plan and potential risk
Much of the international community is saying the reactions of the Palestinians and the Arab world are understandable. Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, Josep Borrell, said Trump’s Middle East peace plan can not succeed without a consensus of all sides.
Analysts say the US’s approval of illegal Jewish settlements goes against principles of a two-state solution mentioned in the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2334 from December 23, 2016. They say this ill-conceived plan for the Middle East has derailed international efforts to bring Palestine and Israel back to the negotiating table.