The long-awaited US Peace to Prosperity vision was finally unveiled at a press conference in the East Room of the White House on January 28, 2020. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in attendance.
In his opening remarks, attended by several ambassadors from Arab nations such as Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), U.S. President Donald Trump remarked that “Israel is a light unto the world. The hearts and history of our people are woven together. The Land of Israel is an ancient home, a sacred place of worship, and a solemn promise to the Jewish people that we will never again repeat history’s darkest hour.”
Trump also remarked that he was “saddened by the fate of the Palestinian people. They deserve a far better life. They deserve the chance to achieve their extraordinary potential. Palestinians have been trapped in a cycle of terrorism, poverty, and violence, exploited by those seeking to use them as pawns to advance terrorism and extremism.”
While they were not present, both Saudi Arabia and Egypt gave their approval for the plans, together with the UK, Israel, Kuwait and UAE. Not surprisingly, Turkey, Iran and Yemen have rejected the deal, along with Jordan. Unfortunately, the Palestinians rejected the deal before it was even announced.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in an address to senior Palestinian leaders including representatives from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist groups in Ramallah, said: “We say a thousand times: No, no and no to the ‘deal of the century.’” Referring to it as the ‘slap of the century’ he said “If God wills, we will strike them back with slaps.”
Vision for Peace – Conceptual Map
Surprisingly, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, admitting he had not yet read the lengthy peace initiative, released a critical statement . The reality is quite astonishing given Coveney’s statement is less considered than that of Saudi Arabia or Egypt.
Vision for Peace – Conceptual Map
Some of the main points addressed at the press conference are as follows:
- Jerusalem is to remain the undivided capital of Israel
- For the first time, in a highly significant and unprecedented step, Israel has authorised the release of a conceptual map, illustrating territorial compromises it is willing to make for the cause of peace
- The proposed transition to a two-state solution will present no incremental security threat to the State of Israel
- The map will more than double Palestinian territory and provide a Palestinian capital in eastern Jerusalem, where the U.S. will open an embassy
- No Palestinians or Israelis will be uprooted from their homes
- The status quo of the Temple Mount will not be compromised.
- There will be a commercial investment of $50 billion into the new Palestinian state
- Over the next 10 years 1 million new Palestinian jobs will be created
- The plan will result in an end to the cycle of Palestinian dependency on charity and foreign aid and the halting of financial compensation to terrorists
Based on the above, the Ireland Israel Alliance welcomes the “Peace to Prosperity” Plan and we wish it every success.
by Jackie Goodall
