On Tuesday, President Trump unveiled his Middle East plan, also dubbed as “deal of the century”, with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu (1). As expected, this blatantly biased plan didn’t get many glowing reviews. Here are some examples of the reactions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 28.1.2020 (2):
“It’s a great plan for Israel. It’s a great plan for peace. Frankly, Mr. President, given all that you have already done for Israel, I’m not surprised. You have been the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House.”
“Your historic decisions to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights; to reaffirm Israel’s legal claims in Judea and Samaria; to stand up to Iran; to pull out of that dangerous Iran deal; to confront — “confront” is not the word — to eliminate Qasem Soleimani — to support and encourage unbelievable cooperation between Israel and the United States in the military and strategic and intelligence fields — all this bear testament to the friendship and depth of your leadership and commitment to Israel.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson 29.1.2020 (3):
“No peace plan is perfect but this has the merit of a two state solution. It is a two state solution. It would ensure that Jerusalem is both the capital of Israel and of the Palestinian people.”
EU High representative Josep Borrell 28.1.2020 (4):
“The European Union will study and assess the proposals put forward. This will be done on the basis of the EU’s established position and its firm and united commitment to a negotiated and viable two-state solution that takes into account the legitimate aspirations of both the Palestinians and the Israelis, respecting all relevant UN resolutions and internationally agreed parameters.“
UN Secretary-General, note to correspondents 28.1.2020 (5):
“The Secretary-General has seen the announcement of the United States plan for the Middle East. The position of the United Nations on the two-State solution has been defined, throughout the years, by relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions by which the Secretariat is bound.
The United Nations remains committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict on the basis of United Nations resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements and realizing the vision of two States – Israel and Palestine – living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines.”
UN Special Rapporteur Michael Lynk 31.1.2020 (6):
“The Trump plan on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a lopsided proposal entirely in favour of one side to the conflict.”
“What the Trump plan offers is a one and a half state solution. This Potemkin state – lacking most of the commonly understood attributes of sovereignty beyond the right to fly its flag and issue stamps – would become an entirely new entity in the annals of modern political science.”
“This is not a recipe for a just and durable peace but rather endorses the creation of a 21st century Bantustan in the Middle East. The Palestinian statelet envisioned by the American plan would be scattered archipelagos of non-contiguous territory completely surrounded by Israel, with no external borders, no control over its airspace, no right to a military to defend its security, no geographic basis for a viable economy, no freedom of movement and with no ability to complain to international judicial forums against Israel or the United States.”
Turkey’s National Security Council (MGK) 30.1.2020 (7):
“The U.S.’ so-called peace plan aims to legitimize occupation, destruction and oppression of Palestine.”
“The only solution is the establishment of an independent Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
The Arab League, part of statement 1.2.2020 (8):
“(The Arab League) rejects the US-Israeli ‘deal of the century’ considering that it does not meet the minimum rights and aspirations of Palestinian people.”
The Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit 1.2.2020 (9):
“The plan leads to a status that amounts to a one-state situation that comprises two classes of citizens, that is apartheid, in which the Palestinians will be second-class citizens, deprived of the basic rights of citizenship.”
“(The U.S. proposal) does not bring about stability or build peace, but sows the seeds for another 100 years of conflict and suffering.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, regarding cutting all ties with USA and Israel 1.2.2020 (10):
“We’ve informed the Israeli side … that there will be no relations at all with them and the United States including security ties.”
“I will never accept this solution. I will not have it recorded in my history that I have sold Jerusalem.”
References:
1) “This is what Donald Trump’s Middle East plan looks like” Al Jazeera 28.1.2020
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/donald-trump-middle-east-plan-200128192550276.html
2) “Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu of the State of Israel in Joint Statements” White House 28.1.2020
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-prime-minister-netanyahu-state-israel-joint-statements/
3) “Boris Johnson praises Donald Trump’s plan for peace in the Middle East as he hits out at Jeremy Corbyn for being ‘characteristically negative’ about the blueprint” Daily Mail 29.1.2020
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7942665/Boris-Johnson-praises-Donald-Trumps-plan-peace-Middle-East.html
4) “EU responds to Trump’s Middle East peace plan” Euractiv.com 29.1.2020
https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/eu-responds-to-trumps-middle-east-peace-plan/
5) “Note to correspondents: In respond to questions on the Middle East” United Nations Secretary-General 28.1.2020
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2020-01-28/note-correspondents-response-questions-the-middle-east
6) “Israel / OPT: UN expert alarmed by ‘lopsided’ Trump plan, says will entrench occupation” United Nations OHCHR 31.1.2020
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25513&LangID=E
7) “Trump’s Mideast plan aims to legitimize destruction of Palestine: Turkey’s National Security Council” Daily Sabah 30.1.2020
https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2020/01/30/trumps-mideast-plan-aims-to-legitimize-destruction-of-palestine-turkeys-national-security-council
8) “Arab League rejects Trump’s Middle East plan” Al Jazeera 1.2.2020
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/arab-league-holds-emergency-meeting-trump-plan-200201105251740.html
9) “Trump’s Mideast plan amounts to ‘apartheid’, Arab League says” Daily Sabah 1.2.2020
https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2020/02/01/arab-league-rejects-trumps-mideast-plan
10) “Palestine cuts all ties with Israel and US” Daily Sabah 1.2.2020
https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2020/02/01/palestinian-president-threatens-to-cut-all-ties-with-israel-and-us
IDIS Observer 