Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Art of the Deal, Palestine Version

From the press coverage of the Trump Administration's Mideast peace efforts led by Jared Kushner, you'd have thought the White House was going to dismiss Palestinian statehood and ask for no concessions from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Far from bowing to the demands of Israel's settlers, the plan provides for a four-year settlement freeze on construction in the West Bank, and settler groups are criticizing it.

The recognition of some of Israel's territorial expansion since 1967 simply reflects changes in political realities as the Palestinians rejected peace deal after peace deal.

No one serious in Israel expects the major settlement blocks to be demolished.

Israel has unprecedented support from the Gulf Arab states, which are united with Israel against Iran and have grown tired of Palestinian rejectionism.

The U.S. norm has been to arm-twist the Israelis and bribe the Palestinians with cash.

Stability on Europe's periphery and a Palestinian state-these are hobbyhorses of the internationalist establishment more than of Mr. Trump's populist supporters.


https://www.wsj.com/articles/art-of-the-deal-palestine-version-11580255641?mod=hp_opin_pos_3

No comments: