US President Donald Trump plans to present his long-awaited Middle East peace plan in the coming days. „It’s a great plan,“ Trump said yesterday evening (local time) aboard the Air Force One presidential plane. It should be released before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Benni Ganz visit Washington on Tuesday.
„It’s a plan that could really work,“ Trump told journalists traveling with him. It was also „briefly“ talked to the Palestinians about it. Further talks should follow. „I’m sure they may react negatively at first, but it’s actually very positive for them,“ he said.
US Vice President Mike Pence had previously confirmed at a meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem that Trump had surprisingly invited Netanyahu and to the White House for talks. Tuesday’s meeting should focus on “regional issues and the prospect of peace here in the Holy Land,” said Pence.
Pro-Israeli plan
Israeli TV channel 13 reported that Trump’s peace plan was more pro-Israeli than any other in the past. The Palestinians are expected to reject him immediately. Among other things, the plan provides for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in 85 to 95 percent of the West Bank, the broadcaster reported.
The rest of the area should be annexed by Israel. However, Israel will keep security controls across the West Bank, it said. A few quarters in the eastern part of Jerusalem were to be the capital of the Palestinians. The Israeli settlements should not be evacuated, but around 8,000 settlers in settlement outposts not approved by Israel would have to leave.
Israel had conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem, among others, during the Six Day War in 1967. Today there are more than 600,000 Israeli settlers living in more than 200 settlements. Israel has withdrawn from the Gaza Strip, which was also conquered at the time. The Palestinians want to declare an independent state with the capital, East Jerusalem, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
