While United States President Donald Trump says that it will be only fair to do ‘a lot for the Palestinians’, his Middle East plan does far more for Israel than it does for the Palestinians.
Trump's long-awaited Middle East plan, which he has also referred to as the 'deal of the century' was drafted under the stewardship of President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump's plan, negotiated with Israel but without the Palestinians, aims to revive the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Palestinian negotiators have not had direct contact with the Trump administration in more than two years.
Trump in his address to White House East Room alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the agreement is a historic opportunity for the Palestinians to finally achieve an independent state of their very own.
The plan includes a conceptual map that Trump says illustrates the territorial compromises that Israel is willing to make.
What is the Middle East plan?
Jerusalem will be Israel's capital
The plan recognizes Jerusalem to remain Israel’s undivided and very important capital. Both Israel and the Palestinians hold competing claims to Jerusalem. The Palestinians insist that East Jerusalem be the capital of their future state. In 2017, Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the US embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Palestinian capital will be in East Jerusalem
The Palestinians want an independent state of their own, comprising the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. However, the conceptual map will provide a Palestinian capital in eastern Jerusalem, physically separated from the rest of the city. It allows for the Palestinians to call their capital al-Quds, using the Arabic term for Jerusalem, but includes no significant part of East Jerusalem. The president of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas has already rejected the plan saying, "We say a thousand times, no, no, no."
Commercial investment in Palestine
President Trump claims that the plan would lead to $50 billion in new commercial investment in Palestine. He said that if executed well it could create 1 million new Palestinian jobs. Their poverty rate will be cut in half. And their poverty rate is unacceptable now and only getting worse. Their GDP will double and triple. And much-needed hope, joy, opportunity, and prosperity will finally arrive for the Palestinian people," Trump said
Annexing Israeli settlements
Trump's plan allows Israel to annex Israeli settlements regardless of Palestinian support for the plan. Israel will now have the right to annex parts of the West Bank that it now occupies, therefore reducing and further dividing the Palestinian territory. The Jordan Valley, which accounts for almost a third of the occupied West BankIt is home to 65,000 Palestinians in 28 villages and 11,000 Israelis, who live in settlements constructed illegally. Israel’s government is now set to vote Sunday on annexing the strategic Jordan Valley and all Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Israel to freeze any further settlement
Trump’s plan also authorizes Israel to freeze any further settlement expansion for four years in exchange for US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the settlements.
Refugees
There are up to 6 million Palestinian refugees in the Middle East. These include the descendants of people who fled or were expelled by Jewish forces from Israel in the 1948-49 war. Palestinians insist on their right to return to their former homes, but Israel says they are not entitled to, noting that such a move would overwhelm it demographically and lead to its end as a Jewish state. Trump's plan however did not mention whether refugees will have a right to return to their former homes. Trump said neither Palestinians nor Israelis will be uprooted from their homes.
Military
Palestine will not have the right to forge military, intelligence or security agreements with any state or organization that adversely affect the State of Israel’s security. This means that Palestine would not be able to create armed forces to protect itself or fight others. The Palestinians will have their own internal security forces but Israel will control the borders and monitor all crossings
Old City and holy sites to be under Israeli control
Israel to 'continue to safeguard' Jerusalem’s holy sites and to guarantee freedom of worship to Jews, Christians, Muslims and other faiths.The understandings governing the flashpoint holy site known as the Al-Aqsa mosque compound to Muslims and the Temple Mount to Jews would remain in place.
Israel will work closely with the King of Jordan to ensure that the status quo of the Temple Mount is preserved and strong measures are taken to ensure that all Muslims who wish to visit peacefully and pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque will be able to do so.