30 may 2019
With a prospect of an unprecedented second election campaign in the same year looming, the prime minister attempts to play down the political turmoil by turning the public's attention to foreign policy; Trump says he feels 'very badly' Netanyahu failed to form government
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says U.S. President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has gifted him an official State Department map, updated to incorporate the long-disputed Golan Heights as part of Israel.
Speaking at a news conference in Jerusalem on Thursday, Netanyahu addressed a nation rattled by the prospect of an unprecedented second election campaign in the same year, after the newly re-elected Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition.
In a bid to play down the political chaos and focus public attention on his foreign policy prowess - in particular his close friendship with Trump - Netanyahu whipped out Kushner's map, on which President Trump had scribbled, "Nice."
"This map had not been updated since the Six Day War," said Netanyahu, referring to the 1967 Middle East war, after which Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria. "Well, it has been updated, it just got an update. ... That is to say, there are very important developments here."
He pointed to a note scribbled on the map, which he called President Trump's personal handiwork. "Here is the signature of Trump, and he writes 'nice.' I say, 'very nice!'"
Kushner met with Netanyahu earlier on Thursday to push the Trump administration's long-awaited plan for Mideast peace, just as Israel was thrust into the political tumult. Kushner and U.S. special envoy Jason Greenblatt stopped in Israel as part of a Middle East tour to rally support for the administration's upcoming economic conference in Bahrain, which the White House bills as the first portion of its peace plan.
The U.S. is hoping to draw Arab states with deep pockets to participate in the workshop, which envisions large-scale infrastructure work and investment in the Palestinian territories.
In brief joint remarks, Kushner touted American-Israeli cooperation, saying, "it's never been stronger and we're very excited about all the potential that lies ahead for Israel ... and for the whole region."
Netanyahu attempted to play down concerns that the Israeli parliament's dramatic dissolution would further postpone the U.S. peace plan rollout. "You know, we had a little event last night," he said. "That's not going to stop us."
At the White House, President Trump, a close ally of Netanyahu, weighed in expressing dismay at the prime minister's failure to form a governing coalition. Calling Netanyahu a "great guy," Trump said he feels "very badly" that the country has to face another election because there is "enough turmoil" in the region.
Trump signs 'nice' on fake map of Israel gifted to Netanyahu
US President Donald Trump has autographed a map of the occupied territories which falsely recognizes Syria's Golan Heights as part of Israel, and gifted it to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, who had received the State Department map from Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner as a gift, showed it off in a televised interview on Thursday night.
During the show-off, he told the viewers that the new map marked the occupied Golan Heights as part of Israel, and that Trump had written the word "nice" on it.
"Jared Kushner brought me the updated map that includes the Golan Heights within Israeli sovereignty -- here is the signature of President Trump and he writes here 'Nice,'" Netanyahu said.
On the map, a hand-drawn arrow in black ink points from the word "Nice" to the Golan. Running along the side of the map in the same black ink is the US president's spiky signature.
Back in April, Netanyahu announced he planned to name "a new community on the Golan Heights" after Trump in gratitude for his recognition of Israel's claim of "sovereignty" over the strategic plateau.
In a highly provocative move on March 25, the US president signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's "sovereignty" over the Syrian territory on the direction of a number of his advisers, most notably his adviser Kushner.
Damascus strongly condemned the move and called it a "blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria.
The Arab League also denounced the decision, saying, "Trump's recognition does not change the area's status."
Many countries, including Iran, Russia and Turkey, along with the United Nations Security Council, have lambasted Trump's provocative move.
In 1967, Israel waged a full-scale war on Arab territories, during which it occupied a large swathe of Golan and annexed it in 1981, a move never recognized by the international community.
Syria has repeatedly reaffirmed its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, saying the territory must be completely restored to its control.
Israel has also said that it plans to name a proposed train station near the Western Wall of Jerusalem al-Quds after Trump in appreciation of his support for Tel Aviv.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says U.S. President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has gifted him an official State Department map, updated to incorporate the long-disputed Golan Heights as part of Israel.
Speaking at a news conference in Jerusalem on Thursday, Netanyahu addressed a nation rattled by the prospect of an unprecedented second election campaign in the same year, after the newly re-elected Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition.
In a bid to play down the political chaos and focus public attention on his foreign policy prowess - in particular his close friendship with Trump - Netanyahu whipped out Kushner's map, on which President Trump had scribbled, "Nice."
"This map had not been updated since the Six Day War," said Netanyahu, referring to the 1967 Middle East war, after which Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria. "Well, it has been updated, it just got an update. ... That is to say, there are very important developments here."
He pointed to a note scribbled on the map, which he called President Trump's personal handiwork. "Here is the signature of Trump, and he writes 'nice.' I say, 'very nice!'"
Kushner met with Netanyahu earlier on Thursday to push the Trump administration's long-awaited plan for Mideast peace, just as Israel was thrust into the political tumult. Kushner and U.S. special envoy Jason Greenblatt stopped in Israel as part of a Middle East tour to rally support for the administration's upcoming economic conference in Bahrain, which the White House bills as the first portion of its peace plan.
The U.S. is hoping to draw Arab states with deep pockets to participate in the workshop, which envisions large-scale infrastructure work and investment in the Palestinian territories.
In brief joint remarks, Kushner touted American-Israeli cooperation, saying, "it's never been stronger and we're very excited about all the potential that lies ahead for Israel ... and for the whole region."
Netanyahu attempted to play down concerns that the Israeli parliament's dramatic dissolution would further postpone the U.S. peace plan rollout. "You know, we had a little event last night," he said. "That's not going to stop us."
At the White House, President Trump, a close ally of Netanyahu, weighed in expressing dismay at the prime minister's failure to form a governing coalition. Calling Netanyahu a "great guy," Trump said he feels "very badly" that the country has to face another election because there is "enough turmoil" in the region.
Trump signs 'nice' on fake map of Israel gifted to Netanyahu
US President Donald Trump has autographed a map of the occupied territories which falsely recognizes Syria's Golan Heights as part of Israel, and gifted it to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, who had received the State Department map from Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner as a gift, showed it off in a televised interview on Thursday night.
During the show-off, he told the viewers that the new map marked the occupied Golan Heights as part of Israel, and that Trump had written the word "nice" on it.
"Jared Kushner brought me the updated map that includes the Golan Heights within Israeli sovereignty -- here is the signature of President Trump and he writes here 'Nice,'" Netanyahu said.
On the map, a hand-drawn arrow in black ink points from the word "Nice" to the Golan. Running along the side of the map in the same black ink is the US president's spiky signature.
Back in April, Netanyahu announced he planned to name "a new community on the Golan Heights" after Trump in gratitude for his recognition of Israel's claim of "sovereignty" over the strategic plateau.
In a highly provocative move on March 25, the US president signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's "sovereignty" over the Syrian territory on the direction of a number of his advisers, most notably his adviser Kushner.
Damascus strongly condemned the move and called it a "blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria.
The Arab League also denounced the decision, saying, "Trump's recognition does not change the area's status."
Many countries, including Iran, Russia and Turkey, along with the United Nations Security Council, have lambasted Trump's provocative move.
In 1967, Israel waged a full-scale war on Arab territories, during which it occupied a large swathe of Golan and annexed it in 1981, a move never recognized by the international community.
Syria has repeatedly reaffirmed its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, saying the territory must be completely restored to its control.
Israel has also said that it plans to name a proposed train station near the Western Wall of Jerusalem al-Quds after Trump in appreciation of his support for Tel Aviv.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II has called for the formation of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 boundaries with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital, in what appears to be at odds with Washington’s upcoming proposal on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He made the remarks in a meeting with a US delegation headed by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, along with Middle East Envoy Jason Greenblatt, in Amman on Wednesday.
King Abdullah II, who acts as the custodian of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem al-Quds, expressed his commitment to the so-called two-state solution.
The Jordan king had “stressed the need to step up all efforts to achieve comprehensive and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution, guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem [al-Quds] as its capital ... in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions,” the Royal Hashemite Court said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Jordan’s official Petra news agency reported that the two sides had exchanged views on “regional developments, especially efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”
Greenblatt also tweeted that he had a “constructive meeting” with King Abdullah II that included “a good conversation about regional dynamics.”
The US delegation is meeting with top officials in Morocco, Jordan and Israel this week before it unveils the economic portion of the so-called “deal of the century” during a conference in Manama, Bahrain, on June 25-26.
On Tuesday, Kushner and Greenblatt held talks with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on the Manama forum, which has been boycotted by all Palestinian factions.
The Palestinians have also rejected the US Middle East initiative as “the slap of the century” because it is said to hugely favor Israel.
On Tuesday evening, Jordanian activists held a protest near the heavily-fortified American embassy in Amman to denounce Kushner’s visit and Trump's plan on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The demonstrators chanted slogans such as “The deal of the century will not pass,” and “Down with the US.”
They also held placards reading, “No to the deal of the century,” and “Go back home Kushner.”
Addressing the crowd, Abdul Hamid Thunaibat, leader of the Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, called on the government to adopt a clear position regarding its participation in the Bahrain conference.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have said they will send delegations to the event and Israel’s Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon has said he will also intend to attend.
The so-called Middle East peace process was dealt a major blow in December 2017, when Trump recognized Jerusalem al-Quds as the “capital” of Israel. He also moved the American embassy from Tel Aviv to the Israeli-occupied city in May 2018.
Angered by Trump’s contentious move, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestine would no longer recognize the US as a mediator in the decades-long conflict with Israel.
He made the remarks in a meeting with a US delegation headed by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, along with Middle East Envoy Jason Greenblatt, in Amman on Wednesday.
King Abdullah II, who acts as the custodian of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem al-Quds, expressed his commitment to the so-called two-state solution.
The Jordan king had “stressed the need to step up all efforts to achieve comprehensive and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution, guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem [al-Quds] as its capital ... in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions,” the Royal Hashemite Court said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Jordan’s official Petra news agency reported that the two sides had exchanged views on “regional developments, especially efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”
Greenblatt also tweeted that he had a “constructive meeting” with King Abdullah II that included “a good conversation about regional dynamics.”
The US delegation is meeting with top officials in Morocco, Jordan and Israel this week before it unveils the economic portion of the so-called “deal of the century” during a conference in Manama, Bahrain, on June 25-26.
On Tuesday, Kushner and Greenblatt held talks with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on the Manama forum, which has been boycotted by all Palestinian factions.
The Palestinians have also rejected the US Middle East initiative as “the slap of the century” because it is said to hugely favor Israel.
On Tuesday evening, Jordanian activists held a protest near the heavily-fortified American embassy in Amman to denounce Kushner’s visit and Trump's plan on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The demonstrators chanted slogans such as “The deal of the century will not pass,” and “Down with the US.”
They also held placards reading, “No to the deal of the century,” and “Go back home Kushner.”
Addressing the crowd, Abdul Hamid Thunaibat, leader of the Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, called on the government to adopt a clear position regarding its participation in the Bahrain conference.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have said they will send delegations to the event and Israel’s Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon has said he will also intend to attend.
The so-called Middle East peace process was dealt a major blow in December 2017, when Trump recognized Jerusalem al-Quds as the “capital” of Israel. He also moved the American embassy from Tel Aviv to the Israeli-occupied city in May 2018.
Angered by Trump’s contentious move, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestine would no longer recognize the US as a mediator in the decades-long conflict with Israel.
29 may 2019
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammd Javad Zarif says the the holy occupied city of Jerusalem al-Quds belongs to Palestine and the Palestinian nation, stressing that neither the United States nor the Israeli regime can make decisions about it.
“Al-Quds (Jerusalem) is neither America's to give away nor Israel's to take. And NOT for brutal accomplices to try to buy. Quds belongs to Palestine & Palestinians: history shows that whomever ignores this is condemned to ignominious failure,” the top Iranian diplomat said in a post published on his official Twitter page on Wednesday.
Zarif reaffirmed Tehran’s full support for the Palestinian cause, calling for mass participation in International Quds Day rallies on Friday.
The International Quds Day is a legacy of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, who designated the day in solidarity with Palestinians.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the International Quds Day has been held worldwide on the last Friday of the the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has called upon Muslim heads of state and leaders participating in the upcoming 14th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Saudi city of Mecca to support the Palestinian nation, and adopt appropriate and effective measures aimed at protecting al-Quds.
Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau, said in a statement on Wednesday that the OIC session comes at a time when “the Palestinian issue is facing challenges, which threaten its present, future and existence. It is being held when Israeli terrorism against Palestinian land and people is on the rise.”
He pointed out that the American team -- comprised of President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, and US ambassador to the occupied territories David Friedman --“plays a suspicious role in supporting and promoting political and economic schemes aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause and undermining Palestinians’ rights.”
Haniyeh then stressed “the need for an effective and urgent Islamic action” that would protect the occupied city of al-Quds, al-Aqsa Mosque, stand against the Israeli regime’s policy of criminal and racist occupation, and would put an end to its plots of “Judaization, division and displacement.”
The senior Hamas official finally demanded the final communiqué of the OIC summit, which is scheduled to take place on May 31, to be a unified Muslim stance aimed at building a roadmap towards achieving the aspirations of the Palestinian nation, which is the liberation of their homeland and return to it.
“Al-Quds (Jerusalem) is neither America's to give away nor Israel's to take. And NOT for brutal accomplices to try to buy. Quds belongs to Palestine & Palestinians: history shows that whomever ignores this is condemned to ignominious failure,” the top Iranian diplomat said in a post published on his official Twitter page on Wednesday.
Zarif reaffirmed Tehran’s full support for the Palestinian cause, calling for mass participation in International Quds Day rallies on Friday.
The International Quds Day is a legacy of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, who designated the day in solidarity with Palestinians.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the International Quds Day has been held worldwide on the last Friday of the the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has called upon Muslim heads of state and leaders participating in the upcoming 14th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Saudi city of Mecca to support the Palestinian nation, and adopt appropriate and effective measures aimed at protecting al-Quds.
Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau, said in a statement on Wednesday that the OIC session comes at a time when “the Palestinian issue is facing challenges, which threaten its present, future and existence. It is being held when Israeli terrorism against Palestinian land and people is on the rise.”
He pointed out that the American team -- comprised of President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, and US ambassador to the occupied territories David Friedman --“plays a suspicious role in supporting and promoting political and economic schemes aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause and undermining Palestinians’ rights.”
Haniyeh then stressed “the need for an effective and urgent Islamic action” that would protect the occupied city of al-Quds, al-Aqsa Mosque, stand against the Israeli regime’s policy of criminal and racist occupation, and would put an end to its plots of “Judaization, division and displacement.”
The senior Hamas official finally demanded the final communiqué of the OIC summit, which is scheduled to take place on May 31, to be a unified Muslim stance aimed at building a roadmap towards achieving the aspirations of the Palestinian nation, which is the liberation of their homeland and return to it.
White House adviser Kushner, the chief architect of the ‘deal of the century,’ embarks on a tour in the region in order to rally support for a US-engineered conference in Bahrain next month, where the initial stage of the peace proposal is said to be unveiled
President Donald Trump’s top Mideast advisers face skeptical audiences as they visit several locations in the region and in Europe starting Tuesday to rally support for what they have billed as a workshop on the economic foundations of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
The White House is promoting the June 25-26 meeting in the Gulf state of Bahrain as the first phase of its long-awaited Mideast peace plan, which envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work, much of it funded by wealthy Arab countries, in the Palestinian territories.
But American officials say the Bahrain conference will not include the core political issues of the conflict: borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees or Israeli security demands.
A White House official said the trip, with stops in Morocco, Jordan, Israel and Europe “is part of our ongoing efforts to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians” but offered no specifics. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Palestinians will not attend the Bahrain meeting, rejecting the parameters of the conference, while key American allies Egypt and Jordan have not announced their plans for participation.
For now, the Americans are pinning their hopes on wealthy Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, hoping their regional influence and deep pockets can make the conference a success.
The Saudis, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, along with host Bahrain, have accepted invitations to attend. This has fueled Palestinian jitters that they will come under heavy pressure to accept large sums of money in exchange for freezing or abandoning aspirations for an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.
“The deal of the century or the deal of shame will go to hell, with God’s will, and the economic project they are working on next month will go to hell too,” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said this week. “Whoever wants to solve the Palestinian issue must start with the political issue, not by selling the illusions of billions (of dollars.”
Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser and son in law, announced the plans for the Bahrain conference last week, saying it would focus on economic issues and investment in the Palestinian territories.
The absence of a political horizon has put American allies in the region in a bind. Heavily reliant on the U.S. for political and military support, it is difficult for countries like Jordan to say no to the invitation. But the Palestinian issue resonates deeply with the Arab public and it is difficult for leaders to embrace a plan that does not promise the Palestinians a state.
In accepting the invitation to the Bahrain conference, Gulf countries have been careful to express solidarity with the Palestinians but have also signaled flexibility.
These countries have forged quiet relationships in recent years with Israel, driven primarily by a shared animosity to Iran. Those concerns, and readiness to engage with Israel, appear to outweigh any sympathies they may feel with the Palestinians.
“Dialogue with Israel is a positive thing,” Anwar Gargash, the UAE’s minister of state for foreign affairs, recently told journalists. “I think this is something that we need to do, but at the same time the dialogue with Israel doesn’t mean that we don’t disagree with them politically.”
Palestinian officials have called on Arab countries not to attend the Bahrain workshop. Abbas is expected to step up those calls at a pair of conferences later this week in Saudi Arabia. But changing their minds may be difficult.
In a recent editorial, the editor in chief of a Saudi newspaper with close ties to the palace urged the Palestinians to give the Trump plan a chance.
“The Palestinians should negotiate hard, and then take what they can to secure a nation state for future generations,” Faisal Abbas wrote in the Arab News. “There is nothing to be gained from a refusal to come to the negotiating table.”
In another important diplomatic breakthrough, Qatar, which has been embroiled in a bitter dispute with Saudi Arabia, has agreed to attend, a possible precursor of a broader reconciliation among Gulf rivals.
Beyond the Gulf, the plan appears to face skepticism.
Jordan is in an especially sensitive situation. A majority of the population has Palestinian roots, and the kingdom borders the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the heartland of any future Palestinian state. Any perception that Jordan is selling out the interests of the Palestinians would be deeply unpopular and possibly even destabilizing.
Ahead of Kushner’s arrival, Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, indicated he is uncomfortable with the economy-first approach.
The official Petra news agency said that in a phone call with his Irish counterpart, Safadi stressed that “any economic plan to handle the consequences of the conflict can’t be an alternative to a comprehensive political plan that aims at fulfilling the two-state solution.”
“Safadi stressed that all efforts for solving the conflict need to begin from the fact that ending occupation is the path for peace,” the agency said.
Egypt, a key U.S. and Israeli ally that borders Gaza, also has not said whether it will attend. An Egyptian official said businessmen who do business with Israelis might take part in the conference as “individuals.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has repeatedly called for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Kushner’s visit to the region started Tuesday in Morocco, a moderate Arab state that has low-level ties with Israel. From there he was to head to Jordan, then Israel and on to Europe.
The European Union has not said whether it will attend the conference, while Russia, another key player in the region, late Tuesday called the meeting an attempt by Washington to enforce its views on the Middle East.
A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized what it called the United States’ “stubborn desire to replace the task of achieving a comprehensive political settlement with a package of economic bonuses that dilutes the principle of two states for two peoples.”
After more than two years of work, Kushner’s team still has not unveiled its political vision. But his few public statements have indicated they will focus heavily on so-called economic peace while sidelining or ignoring the longstanding Palestinian goal of independence. The two-state solution continues to enjoy the broad support of the international community.
Abbas and his autonomy government in the West Bank cut off ties with the White House after Trump recognized contested Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017.
Though Trump said his declaration did not determine the city’s final borders, the Palestinians saw the move as unfairly favoring Israel. U.S. cuts in aid, and the closure of the Palestinian diplomatic office in Washington, further deepened their suspicions.
Saeb Erekat, a top Palestinian official, noted this week that the Palestinians were not even consulted about the Bahrain conference. “Let us be clear,” he wrote in the New York Times. “There will be no economic prosperity in Palestine without the end of the occupation.”
President Donald Trump’s top Mideast advisers face skeptical audiences as they visit several locations in the region and in Europe starting Tuesday to rally support for what they have billed as a workshop on the economic foundations of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
The White House is promoting the June 25-26 meeting in the Gulf state of Bahrain as the first phase of its long-awaited Mideast peace plan, which envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work, much of it funded by wealthy Arab countries, in the Palestinian territories.
But American officials say the Bahrain conference will not include the core political issues of the conflict: borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees or Israeli security demands.
A White House official said the trip, with stops in Morocco, Jordan, Israel and Europe “is part of our ongoing efforts to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians” but offered no specifics. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Palestinians will not attend the Bahrain meeting, rejecting the parameters of the conference, while key American allies Egypt and Jordan have not announced their plans for participation.
For now, the Americans are pinning their hopes on wealthy Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, hoping their regional influence and deep pockets can make the conference a success.
The Saudis, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, along with host Bahrain, have accepted invitations to attend. This has fueled Palestinian jitters that they will come under heavy pressure to accept large sums of money in exchange for freezing or abandoning aspirations for an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.
“The deal of the century or the deal of shame will go to hell, with God’s will, and the economic project they are working on next month will go to hell too,” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said this week. “Whoever wants to solve the Palestinian issue must start with the political issue, not by selling the illusions of billions (of dollars.”
Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser and son in law, announced the plans for the Bahrain conference last week, saying it would focus on economic issues and investment in the Palestinian territories.
The absence of a political horizon has put American allies in the region in a bind. Heavily reliant on the U.S. for political and military support, it is difficult for countries like Jordan to say no to the invitation. But the Palestinian issue resonates deeply with the Arab public and it is difficult for leaders to embrace a plan that does not promise the Palestinians a state.
In accepting the invitation to the Bahrain conference, Gulf countries have been careful to express solidarity with the Palestinians but have also signaled flexibility.
These countries have forged quiet relationships in recent years with Israel, driven primarily by a shared animosity to Iran. Those concerns, and readiness to engage with Israel, appear to outweigh any sympathies they may feel with the Palestinians.
“Dialogue with Israel is a positive thing,” Anwar Gargash, the UAE’s minister of state for foreign affairs, recently told journalists. “I think this is something that we need to do, but at the same time the dialogue with Israel doesn’t mean that we don’t disagree with them politically.”
Palestinian officials have called on Arab countries not to attend the Bahrain workshop. Abbas is expected to step up those calls at a pair of conferences later this week in Saudi Arabia. But changing their minds may be difficult.
In a recent editorial, the editor in chief of a Saudi newspaper with close ties to the palace urged the Palestinians to give the Trump plan a chance.
“The Palestinians should negotiate hard, and then take what they can to secure a nation state for future generations,” Faisal Abbas wrote in the Arab News. “There is nothing to be gained from a refusal to come to the negotiating table.”
In another important diplomatic breakthrough, Qatar, which has been embroiled in a bitter dispute with Saudi Arabia, has agreed to attend, a possible precursor of a broader reconciliation among Gulf rivals.
Beyond the Gulf, the plan appears to face skepticism.
Jordan is in an especially sensitive situation. A majority of the population has Palestinian roots, and the kingdom borders the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the heartland of any future Palestinian state. Any perception that Jordan is selling out the interests of the Palestinians would be deeply unpopular and possibly even destabilizing.
Ahead of Kushner’s arrival, Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, indicated he is uncomfortable with the economy-first approach.
The official Petra news agency said that in a phone call with his Irish counterpart, Safadi stressed that “any economic plan to handle the consequences of the conflict can’t be an alternative to a comprehensive political plan that aims at fulfilling the two-state solution.”
“Safadi stressed that all efforts for solving the conflict need to begin from the fact that ending occupation is the path for peace,” the agency said.
Egypt, a key U.S. and Israeli ally that borders Gaza, also has not said whether it will attend. An Egyptian official said businessmen who do business with Israelis might take part in the conference as “individuals.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has repeatedly called for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Kushner’s visit to the region started Tuesday in Morocco, a moderate Arab state that has low-level ties with Israel. From there he was to head to Jordan, then Israel and on to Europe.
The European Union has not said whether it will attend the conference, while Russia, another key player in the region, late Tuesday called the meeting an attempt by Washington to enforce its views on the Middle East.
A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized what it called the United States’ “stubborn desire to replace the task of achieving a comprehensive political settlement with a package of economic bonuses that dilutes the principle of two states for two peoples.”
After more than two years of work, Kushner’s team still has not unveiled its political vision. But his few public statements have indicated they will focus heavily on so-called economic peace while sidelining or ignoring the longstanding Palestinian goal of independence. The two-state solution continues to enjoy the broad support of the international community.
Abbas and his autonomy government in the West Bank cut off ties with the White House after Trump recognized contested Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017.
Though Trump said his declaration did not determine the city’s final borders, the Palestinians saw the move as unfairly favoring Israel. U.S. cuts in aid, and the closure of the Palestinian diplomatic office in Washington, further deepened their suspicions.
Saeb Erekat, a top Palestinian official, noted this week that the Palestinians were not even consulted about the Bahrain conference. “Let us be clear,” he wrote in the New York Times. “There will be no economic prosperity in Palestine without the end of the occupation.”
