T. Belman.(Jan 8, 2023) Trump left prematurely but will probably return in two years. But the Plan envisaged in this article remained and will shortly be effected. I have used a red font for the key paragraphs.
T. Belman. Read carefully because this deal is what will go down. Trump’s ‘deal of the century’ map for a future Palestine, Israel was published on Jan 28/20. I believe its a non starter and will never happen. It is described by The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in Doha and by Al Jazeera
This deal originated with Mudar Zahran and Ted Belman.
By Ted Belman (originally published on Oct 17/18)
Very few people, if any, believe that Pres. Trump will succeed with his Deal of the Century, but I do.
Nor do they know what that deal is or when it will be tabled. But they do know that the US under his leadership is acting unilaterally to neuter the UN, UNRWA and the PA. They also know he acted unilaterally to kill the climate hoax and the Iran Deal and to change free trade into fair trade.
In explaining his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel he stressed that he was just recognizing reality.
In a recent interview, Jason Greenblatt, Pres Trump’s special envoy, said “our plan begins with reality. It recognizes the history of the conflict of course, but [other plans] were always relying on tired notions of what it should be. Instead, it focuses on what it could be.”
Thus, I assume that the Palestinian narrative that has driven the peace process and world opinion for fifty years will be severely undermined and replaced with a reality-based process and history starting with the Palestine Mandate. Greenblatt is mindful of the fact that this narrative was crafted by the KGB in its consultations with Arafat in the sixties and afterwards. They invented the Palestinian people as a means to cast the Arabs as the oppressed and the Israelis as the oppressors.
The basis for the Plan will be the signing of the Palestine Mandate in 1922. This mandate split Palestine into two mandates under British rule, namely Arab Palestine (Transjordan) which received 78% of the land and Jewish Palestine (Israel) which received the remaining 22%. Britain tried to further divide the 22%, most notably in the UN Partition Plan of 1947, without success. The UNGA passed the resolution pursuant to which, Israel declared independence. The Arabs rejected it and declared war on Israel thereby ending their opportunity for creating an Arab state on the part allocated to them.
Mudar Zahran, the leader of the Opposition Coalition of Jordan, recognizes this history when he says, as he did to a recent session of the EU Parliament, that the only occupation going on is the Hashemite occupation of Palestinian land, namely Jordan, ever since Jordan’s independence in 1946.
International law recognizes Israel’s right to claim sovereignty over the entire 22%. In addition, Israel cemented this right by their victory over the Arabs in the ’67 War.
No doubt this history will inform the design of the Plan.
Greenblatt went on to articulate a red line, if you will, saying “we will not put forth a plan or endorse a plan that doesn’t meet all of Israel’s security issues because they are of extreme importance to us“ and “Israel is going to have to be comfortable that what we put forth in the plan does not put Israel at risk.” The Palestinians must accept this as fundamental to the Plan and be “comfortable” with it.
Thus, we can safely assume that Israel will not have to withdraw the IDF from any lands west of the Jordan River. You will recall that Obama wanted to limit their presence in the Jordan valley to a number of decades only.
In explaining why he is putting all this effort into achieving peace when there are bigger problems in the Middle east, namely Syria and Iran, Greenblatt said,
“we think that there are unique circumstances now that warrant an attempt at trying to see whether or not we can do this. President Trump, as devoted and dedicated to the State of Israel and the Jewish people as he is, he’s also dedicated to trying to help the Palestinian people, and the way we can marry those two ideas is by trying to reach a comprehensive peace agreement.”
Thus, he is guided by two goals. He wants to strengthen Israel and he wants to help the Palestinian people. As he said, “We do believe that many Palestinians want to live in peace, and they want to see their lives improved.”
So how can he marry these goals. He said, “Thus we must abandon all the old formulae and focus on what is doable”.
Taking all the foregoing into account, I believe that the Plan will recognize the original division of Palestine into Jordan as the Palestinian state and Israel as the Jewish state. These states already have a peace agreement in which the agreed border is the Jordan River.
So far so good. But what will happen with the two million Palestinians, all of whom have Jordanian citizenship, living west of the Jordan River? Presently, these Palestinians live for the most part in Areas A and B (1.4 million), Area C (100,000) and Jerusalem (350,000) as defined by the Oslo Accords.
According to a very well-informed source (and reiterated in 2022) , the administration of the A areas, will pass from the PA to Jordan. These areas include, Tulkarn, Qalkilya, Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho. The B areas will be absorbed into the C area in order to remove the Swiss cheese effect. Hebron, on the other hand will be administered by a joint local council made up of Israelis and Palestinians. This is the Confederation that Abbas rejected a few weeks ago
In late August, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman told members of the American Jewish Congress that “there is no capacity to have peace with the Palestinians unless there’s peace with all the Palestinians, including the million and a half in Gaza.”
My source also tells me that the Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip will be given the option of being in a confederation either with Jordan or Egypt. Either way, negotiating a Gaza truce is part of the deal.
This means that the PA will be done away with because its primary function is to wage war against Israel’s legitimacy
All Palestinians living west of the River will be seen as both Jordanian citizens and foreign residents. There will be no need to give them Israeli citizenship.
Israel would then be free to build without restraint in the expanded Area C and in other ways exercise its sovereignty on all lands west of the Jordan R.
In effect, all Arabs will remain where they are and will continue to work in Israel. The only difference will be that they have to give up their aspirations for a Palestinian state west of the Jordan R and accept that Jordan is the Palestinian state.
Jordan and Israel will negotiate separate agreements dealing with joint economic relations and joint military arrangements.
The existing Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) in which Israeli companies currently produce goods in Jordan which are sold to the US free of tariffs, will be expanded and improved. Other job creating joint ventures will be set up. These jobs will be available to all Palestinians who emigrate to Jordan. Expectations are that many Palestinians living west of the river will emigrate to Jordan to avail themselves of these jobs.
In The Jordan Option promoted by Mudar Zahran and me, I proposed that Jordan build a city for 1 million people and that these homes be given to the Palestinians who emigrate. I am informed by this source that Jordan is a welfare state that guarantees housing to all citizens. Jordan will start with building an extra 500,000 units to accommodate the influx of citizens. Thus, this too will induce many Palestinians to emigrate to Jordan.
It should be made clear that Israel will not be party to or countenance forced ethnic cleansing.
There is also talk about joint military planning between Israel and Jordan. In effect Jordan military will become an extension of the IDF. Jordan may also be the buyer of the 100 F-16s that Israel now wishes to sell.
UNRWA will be scuttled. The Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq will be invited to move to Jordan as full citizens thereby ending their refugee status.
Mudar Zahran is also committed to Muslims and Jews sharing the Temple Mount. The Muslim Holy Place will be the Al Aqsa Mosque and the lands immediately surrounding it and the rest of the Temple Mount will be a Jewish Holy Place
Many Israelis will not be happy with the fact that the Arabs will remain but at least there will be no obligation to offer them a path to citizenship. Furthermore, this deal will do away with the Palestinian narrative which is the cause of so much disloyalty among Arab Israelis.
As Greenblatt said, the Palestinians and the Israelis must decide, “Will we be better off with this plan or continuing without it?” I believe, on balance, that both the Israelis and the Palestinians will accept the Plan. The Israelis hunger for an end of conflict agreement and the Palestinians are sick and tired of living under the corrupt oppressive PA rule and under the King’s rule as the case may be. They are hungry for change and normalization.
As for the Arab world, Greenblatt said, “We’re also hopeful that we can count on their support, and I use the word ”support” rather than “approval”. Thus, he doesn’t expect them to publicly accept the Plan but he does expect them to not undermine its acceptance.
Both Abbas and King Abdullah have publicly rejected any such plan. Assuming no change of heart on their part, they will be replaced. Mudar Zahran is waiting on the sidelines. He most certainly accepts such a plan.
Conventional wisdom has it that Israel would never agree to ousting Abdullah. After all, as the theory goes, the border has been quiet for 30 years. But increasingly, Israel sees Abdullah as an obstructionist just like Abbas. I think that Israel is ready for change, especially if change leads to a resolution of the conflict.
Conventional wisdom also suggests that if Mudar Zahran becomes the leader of Jordan, the Muslim Brotherhood, whose world headquarters is in Jordan, would oust him from power within 24 hours. In this, it is also wrong. Within the said 24 hours, Zahran will designate it a terrorist organization and ban it. In this, he would have the support of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Israel and the US.
Finally, I would like to point out that this Plan is the exact plan envisaged and promoted by Mudar and me in the last 18 months. We called it the Jordan Option.
I believe that this deal will be accepted and will be seen as the Deal of the Century.
Ted Belman is the Editor of Israpundit.com which he started 16 years ago. Together with Mudar Zahran, he spear-headed the plan, in the spring of 2017, to replace King Abdullah, as the leader of Jordan, with Mudar Zahran, the Head of the Jordan Opposition Coalition. This plan was dubbed The Jordan Option. Many if not all the principles set out in the plan are reflected in the Deal of the Century.
@ Ted Belman:
Ted, As I have told you before great if it happens!
Until it happens it has not happened there are many things that must occur. I understand you believe your plan will happen and you trust in Mudar. Great if you are correct, as I said before. The only proof I will believe which is not a negative on you or an intended slight on you is when it occurs.
One always needs a plan B of plan A does not occur. We do not even know who will be the leader of Israel in a few months because of the many variables.
We do not know (or at least I do not know) all the things that must happen and not happen for Mudar to take over Jordan and the King leave. I could start listing some of the obvious but I think it is not a worthwhile exercise. That is why being positive on this occurrence in the near future is curious. Again Ted, no disrespect but I will wait and see!
@ Bear Klein:
Bear Klein Said:
How many times do I have to tell you this before you accept it. Mudar will replace the king soon. The peace treaty between Jordan and Israel will be what matters. Jordan will be the new Palestine and the Jordan R will be the boundary. Jordan will then replace the PA. There is no need for Trump to table the deal afterwards.
I believe that Israel and “Palestine” will form a Confederation of sorts, not a federation. Google the terms.
@ Bear Klein:
I accept what Mudar says at face value. Sometimes I question him about what he says. But I have no way of asking an outside source.
I trust Mudar because he has given me no reason not to trust him in the 8 years I have known him.
“TRUMP SEEMS TO WANT A DEAL MORE THAN EITHER Israel OR THE PALIS”
The neons in our aquarium want a deal more than either Israel or the Palis. What else is new?
If you follow the Donald’s tweets, you’ll see that a Middle East Peace deal is actually low on his priority list. His appointment of Patrick Shannahan as a fill-in for the outgoing Gen. Mattis may shed some light on his priorities: Mattis had been very involved in ME politics, but Shannahan is strictly a hi-tech executive. I think that in military matters, the president is more concerned with rebuilding our armed forces than with getting involved with squabbles ANYWHERE.
I think President Trump will be very happy, to leave behind a legacy of making our military strong again (one of his MAGA promises). If he does manage to pull a rabbit out of the hat between Israel and its Arab problem, the credit will more likely go to Javanka and their team, who never trumpet their intentions before they have big news to announce.
@ yamit82:
“Trump would not be favorable as all leaks say he wanted to put out his peace deal in early 2919 and that was before BB opted for new elections.”
You Jews are really long-term thinkers!
@ yamit82:
“You may continue not being nice to me with a clear conscience.”
Thank G-d!
@ Bear Klein:
Encouraged that Trump shipped to Israel 2 F-35 from Americas own inventory after Russia brought in S-300 into Syria.
While most Israelis are opposed to war anywhere and Gaza, in particular, most Israelis in range of Hamas missiles are for if not outright war a strong response to Hamas attacks would be widely supported especially in the South.
What clinched my position is BB allowed Qatar to send suitcases with millions for Hamas to be delivered. Very bad optics to we Israelis including the IDF and to the world.
Trump withholds funds from the Palis and Qatar and the EU make up the shortfall…. Undercuts Abbas wrt to Hamas and money allows Hamas to continue their military and tunnel operations and plans for more missiles to attack us.
I can’t say with confidence that Trump had a direct hand in stopping BB from attacking Gaza but I am sure BB may believe Trump would not be favorable as all leaks say he wanted to put out his peace deal in early 2919 and that was before BB opted for new elections. A protracted attack or incursion into Gaza plus unintended consequences could delay if not sideline the presentation of the peace deal.
TRUMP SEEMS TO WANT A DEAL MORE THAN EITHER Israel OR THE PALIS
I call that hubris. The Palis don’t want any peace deal, the leadership kleptocracy would lose billions were they to accept and they don’t want the responsibility of real statehood. They can’t manage what they have now. Poll only last weak said Hamas would win elections if they were held now…..
QUESTION: Does Trump have any leverage over Abbas now that he has cut most of their funding???
@ Michael S:
Never ever believe a stinking gay Commie low life liar…. It is Comrade Felix attempt to get under my skin. He can’t because he is too dumb. He has been trying for ten years at least to rattle me and has never succeeded. You may continue not being nice to me with a clear conscience.
@ Bear Klein:
Bear…do you place no credit n my conjecture that Netanyahu’s docile treatment of Hamas, benig an internal Israeli matter, and based on Glick’s really excellent expose of the Leftist legal stranglehold on Israel …is more to do with pressure from Mandelbilt,,,, the REAL ruler of Israel…..
I think it’s feasible, and should be considered, which it has not…until by me now.
@ yamit82:
Yamit,
Felix says you’re of the female persuasion/ species. That is a big disappointment to me, because I was taught not to hit girls (though I did manage to conk one over the head with a board in my younger days). I am hoping that you will heartily deny this. Otherwise, I’m sorry, but I will have to be nice to you.
@ yamit82:
I agree with many of your points but Trump has come down very hard on Abbas & Company. I believe the critique of Israel was to get the Palis to the table.
Trick to pull off with Trump is how to say no cleverly in a persuasive way and not one that will get him to lash out because he thought you were trying to embarrass him or show him. Abbas & Erekat have been absolutely fools in their dealings with Trump and his people.
It is better to persuade Trump in private and say little in public. Bibi has done a good job on this.
I think Bibi and the IDF leadership is what went soft in Gaza not Trump. Trump so far has backed Israeli military actions.
The Palis have already said no to Trumps plan sight unseen. Israel said they will evaluate it when it comes out but will NOT agree to have any other military west of the Jordan River plus will require IDF control in all Judea/Samaria. In addition Israel has been clear that Jerusalem shall stay as one city.
Israel will agree to autonomy for the Palis. The only thing that sound open from Israels side to negotiate is where would the Pali autonomous region be? Just Areas A/B or …?
Assuming Trump unveils his plan and it goes nowhere the trick is to get him to agree to applying Israeli sovereignty to all the Jewish Towns, Jordan Valley, Area C and any needed military areas of Area B. This is to preclude future development such as a less favorable POTUS to Israel in the future. Establish facts on the ground plus diplomatic acceptance by the USA and as many others as possible.
@ yamit82:
I think the heart of Trump’s ‘Deal Of The Century’ on the support of the broad Arab world like the Saudis, Jordan, Egypt & THE GULF STATES. NOT SURE HE CAN COUNT ON THE sAUDIS TODAY OR QATAR…qATAR IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MB AND HAMAS. iF THE PLAN WERE GOOD FOR ISRAEL I THINK BB WOULD HAVE ASKED TRUMP TO PUT THE PLAN OUT BEFORE ELECTIONS, AND HAVE ELECTIONS DELAYED OR NOT CALLED FOR NEW ELECTIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE. iF THE PLAN WAS GOOD FOR ISRAEL BB COULD HAVE RUN ON IT AND ASKED FOR NEW MANDATE… AS LONG AS A MAJORITY SUPPORT BB AND HE WINS HE CAN TELL MANDABLIT TO SHOVE IT.
@ Bear Klein:
What we do know about the plan for sure is:
A- Trump only recognized primarily Western Jewish Jerusalem and not the old city or the Temple mt even not the wall.
B- Trump claims that both Israel and the Palis will not be happy with some elements of his plan.
C- Based on Trump’s previous statement he blames mostly Israel for not agreeing to any peace plan to date….He even accused BB of not wanting a Peace deal
D- ISRAEL HAS MORE TO GIVE THAN THE Palis
E- I suspect Trump had an impact halting BB’s actions in Gaza… ( such an action might have killed his rollout of the ‘Deal of the Century’)
F- Trump has very limited leverage over the Palis and a lot over Israel… Therefor i suspect Israel will be required to give up most for the deal to succeed.
G- Recent poll has Hamas winning big on West bank if elections held today… H- IMO Trump has demonstrated he can’t be trusted wrt to any commitments as guarantors to his Peace Plan,
@ Edgar G.:
Edgar said:
No I do not think you are that silly!
@ Bear Klein:
Bear,
I just checked the Daniel Pipes link. While Daniel is noncommittal about whether the Caspit article is true or not, he does manage to get in a few anti-Trump inuendos. Daniel Pipes is a good scholar and speaker, but was one of the original “Never Trumpers” in 2016. He is biased against the US President… tries to be objective, but the truth burps out. Still, I follow him. He is very pro-Israel.
@ Bear Klein:
I hope you don’t think that (EYE) am boosting up “End Times Mishugas”. That is the particular realm of out resident “prophet expert”.. who can reel off any chapter, paragraph, verse, and even word for any part of the Tanach, PLUS…(as a bonus we could do without) any part of the New Testament as well….
He makes prophecies too….. compiled from other prophecies….
@ Ted Belman:
Ted, they maybe wrong as nothing seems double sourced. Caspit said he has a good source and was that source someone on the Trump inner circle (I doubt it). Also Caspit hates Bibi and makes a living slamming him and this would be a way to attack Bibi!
The same I ask you rhetorically are your sources double check, just like a professional journalist did at least in the old days. Are you able to check what Mudar says from an independent source for veracity. I asked this also of someone who was vouching for Mudar who just like you I admire for their sincerity and commitment to Israel. Their silence on the matter told me they could not independently verify what Mudar tells them.
I do agree Jerusalem is one city and whether Trumps plan has it splitting up into parts or not it shall stay one city.
@ Bear Klein:
Thanks for the links. I stand by what I wrote. All of Jerusalem belongs to Israel now and forever. These articles which say otherwise are wrong.
@ Ted Belman:
This article or variations of the subject matter found in three places:
http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2018/12/if-trump-wants-to-divide-jerusalem-in-three?utm_source=Middle+East+Forum&utm_campaign=2bf481cd90-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_12_26_06_38&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_086cfd423c-2bf481cd90-33614593&goal=0_086cfd423c-2bf481cd90-33614593
Israel Hayom title: “Will Trump divide Jerusalem in 3?” Plus, small differences in the text.
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/12/israel-us-palestinians-benjamin-netanyahu-donald-trump.html?
http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/columns/the-lions-den-daniel-pipes-columns-indepth/if-trump-wants-to-divide-jerusalem-into-three/2018/12/27/
@ Bear Klein:
Do you have a link to a recent article?
@ Edgar G.:
If I turn on the US news they are more concerned with the Stock Market Fluctuations, Government Shutdown and the wall or fence. The news cycle is past a Syrian pullout by Trump.
Not one bit of the news was focused on the end times attack the Turks and Iranians would make against Israel and them being wiped out. Did not even see that Israel attacked Iranian arms depots in Syria and the Syrians shot a missile into Israel.
Israelis have far more feelings of the Kurdish issue and identify more with them than people in North America.
@ Bear Klein:
I’m glad you said “rumours”…….There has been too much craziness and “positively- going-to-happen”.. nonsense and turmoil,with everyone rushing to post what they just read on the news…… which nearly everyone had already read…for the past while. It’s time to get back to sobriety and controlled conjecture, at which we actually excel, and much interesting info emerges from it.. (and I don’t mean End Times Prophecies or 666 skeletal horned Dalmatians with reptilian tails and 3 eyes)
Trump throws everybody into a frenzy……except himself…
@ yamit82:
>@ yamit82:
Yep lots of variables and some of them unknown perhaps! They is why forecasting is difficult.
When I took economics there is something called “econometrics” basically applying formula’s to forecast a future outcome. Used to forecast business projections. I never used it after Business School in the business world because to me if you messed up one of your assumed numbers the outcome would be guaranteed to be false. I just used common sense and knowledge of what I was projecting in the future to project possible outcomes without messing with the formulas. This worked well enough for a year or two of projections but further than that not so much!
Forecasting when or if the King of Jordan leaves Jordan. What happens in the Israeli elections. Right now everyone is sure Bibi wins again but as you said what if……….. We do not even know the parties running and who is running yet. Hell outside of American’s close to Trump I have not even heard one person claim they have seen all of Trumps proposed peace plan.
@ Bear Klein:
Let’s throw a wrench into the speculations…. BB is set to be indicted for bribery. He will be forced to drop out if indictment precedes the elections and if elected will be forced to resign, No other Likud leader other than BB would agree to Trump’s plan. The plan as I understand it will add to the Likuds electoral majority in opposition to the plan. Trump will blow gasket and become very vindictive .
@ Ted Belman:
Ted, I was talking about rumors of Trumps Deal of the Century which differ to your plan. I have no clue if one or the other or neither are correct.
The deal of the century is going to be effected as I have described it. Very soon MUdar will come to power. He has agreed to it. Jordan will be renamed Palestine and all Palestinians will get citizenship in the new Jordan.
This doesn’t need the Deal to be tabled. It will come later if at all.
Didn’t you read the article? They get autonomy only. Israel gets sovereignty to the Jordan River.
Israel keeps all of Jerusalem.
Forecasting future events is always a tricky affair at best.
Clearly this did not happen (TRumps Deal of the Century) in a few weeks as this was back several months ago!
Question is will it happen at all this being the Deal of the Century.
Israeli elections in early April now. It takes maybe two months after the elections to form a coalition and government. That takes us into Summer 2019.
What else will roadblock of the Deal no-one has seen. The Pals have said No Way! Will Abbas even be alive or functional by the then. Will the PA explode or implode by then?
Will Israel end up in War by then?
So many unknowns!!! If this deal is more than autonomy for the Pals Israel or intruding on full Israeli security in Judea/Samaria Israel will reject it! If it is splitting up Jerusalem Israel will reject it
Anyone still forecasting that Deal of the Century is likely to happen soon?
@ Edgar G.:
Yes it happenned. The article made many allegations but there is no context.. I believe it was all part of a conpiracy to bury the Jordan Option. We fought back. As a result I am being sued for defamation. So I can’t get into it.
Thanks for asking.
I have one worry over the Trump Plan. We are only extemporizing in our speculations. But ONE THING stands out clearly, and that is’ The huge emphasis on Israel’s security…..Very proper and absolutely neccessary. But that should be a given BEFORE any negotiations or plans were made at all. It always must be “off the table” and seriously taken for granted.
So I am not concerned about that. What bothers ME is that there was only a single word, “history”.very quickly passed over. That could mean David and Solomon………………..
Ted is convinced that the Plan will take in the above mentioned matters, which of course, would be just what I and all Sovereignty supporters want. Let’s hope so.
The intransigence of the Arabs and their supporters will wither away over time, like the EU and UK always weak at the knees and showing it more over time. Blatantly Jew Hating, yet avowing friendship, but strongly backing positions deleterious to Israel….. The perfect model of “two-faces”
@ Ted Belman:
The fact that the Arabs are to remain ensconced in those cities and areas is in itself, virtually “giving up land”. Whosoever administers it is not important, no matter who does it, is only a political way out. Israel can only claim, a “token” Sovereignty over it. In my opinion anyway. As long as Arabs are there, it’s ARAB land in the midst of Jewish Israel.
@ Edgar G.:
TED-You never responded to this. Are you uncomfortable doing so…?
Read my take on it. Just posted. Comment there.
@ Sebastien Zorn:
Yes, the status quo agreed to in a formal manner but without borders, Jerusalem or refugees agreed.
Bibi does not attack Trump this way and knows the Palestinians will never agree to this.
So the exact status quo remains in place but no agreement is possible.
What Bibi is describing as “statehood” is what they have now, Autonomy, with Israeli security control.
So Trump today (26th Sept 2019) told Netanyahu at the UN he thinks a two state solution is best. The USA will release their plan he thinks in 2 to 4 months. He thinks before the end of his term (first) there will be peace in the middle east.
Bibi, responded will such a Palestinian State be like Costa Rica (peaceful with NO Army) or Iran. Bibi also said that Israel can take no security risks so Israel will need to be responsible for all security west of the Jordan River.
So Trump like all who have held his office have oversized egos that lead them to believe that they through their personal magical powers (Obama thought his powers of persuasion would do the trick) would be able to create peace. Trump believes his negotiation skills can do almost anything.
This means Trump has not yet realized that no negotiated deal with the Israelis Palestinians is possible that will lead to peace.
Bibi said Trump is also still talking to the Arabs meaning Saudis, Egyptians, and Jordanians.
So the speculations of what is in this not yet finalized draft of the “Ultimate Deal” are just that speculations, rumors or guesses at best.
So the status quo is likely to go on for a while. Certainly cautious Bibi will not do much unilaterally that might piss Trump off. Especially the biggest near term danger is Iran, Syria and their Russian buddies arming them with better weapons.
@ inna1kre:
No, Israel doesn’t want to administer these areas which one shnould think of as municipalities. Israel wants Palestinians/Jordanians to administer them.
@ Ted Belman:
“According to a very well-informed source, the administration of the A areas, will pass from the PA to Jordan. These areas include, Tulkarn, Qalkilya, Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho. The B areas will be absorbed into the C area in order to remove the Swiss cheese effect. Hebron, on the other hand will be administered by a joint local council made up of Israelis and Palestinians. This is the Confederation that Abbas rejected a few weeks ago.” Ted, if you are talking about Palestinian Mandate of 1922, there is no mutually administrated pieces of land. The whole piece of land West of the Jordan river is for Israel. Jordan administration again? on Israel land? How do you see Hebron under Israelis and Palestinians? Isn’t it the same old story?
@ simba11:
I think you summed it up rather well.
This is a good plan … good for everybody. It makes sense. That may be its downfall. If the past is any indication, the Arabs/Muslims would rather have jihad and death than peace with “al yahud”.
Jordan is “Palestine” East of the Jordan River and Israel from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea…that has already been recognized and legalized by the League of Nations in 1922. In my opinion there is no real long term solution..because the conflict is not just, as some would like us to believe, a “Palestinian”-Israeli conflict but the continuation of the Arab-Muslim-Islamic conflict vs the Jews and Judaism initiated by Mohammed. Peace would require either for Islam to be abandoned by Muslims or be thoroughly reformed which is unthinkable!
@ Sebastien Zorn:
Wait and see. It won’t be long.
@ Ted Belman:
Is that the issue, here? If Jordan takes over administration of territory West of the Jordan, doesn’t that muddy the issue of who holds sovereignty at best? Will Jordan agree to be Israel’s proxy? Will the international community recognize it? Remember how carefully 242 was crafted to say “territories” not “the’ territories. Did it matter? And the King is still there.
@ Sebastien Zorn:
The PA is finished or soon will be.
@ Ted Belman:
“According to a very well-informed source, the administration of the A areas, will pass from the PA to Jordan. These areas include, Tulkarn, Qalkilya, Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho.” What does this mean, then?
@ Sebastien Zorn:
Nothing in this plan requires Israel to relinguish land. You didn’t read the article as carefully as it was written. Come back to me after you do.
@ Ted Belman:
History shows that nothing in the Arab world lasts. And Zahran is just one man. As a way of getting the Arabs over to the East Bank, it’s a great idea but doesn’t relinquishing sovereignty, sole control and ultimately the right of Jews to settle anywhere in all territory West of the Jordan River in line with international aw as laid out by the League of Nations in 1922, and later ratified by the UN, defeat the whole purpose? Bottom line, Israel can’t relinquish any more territory. If they want to negotiate, than how about negotiating Israel getting a piece of Jordan as was promised at San Remo in exchange for economic, medical, educational and scientific assistance which was the gist of the Weizmann/Faisal agreement, was it not? Otherwise,all negotiation will simply be a prelude to surrender and should be opposed. Fortunately, the pals are opposing for us, as we would cave. I hope they keep it up.
All “Palestinians” must be transferred to Jordan. Population transfer took place several times in history (India and Pakistan, etc.). It was very hard to do, but it saved lives and brought peace. It seemed unachievable at first, but at the end the result showed that it was the right decision.
@ Ted Belman:
TED- I’ve always meant to mention but kept forgetting. I read some time ago a blistering report on Mudar by “Judean Rose, a complete list of iniquities, lies and misrepresentations which she described in Elder of Ziyon. It went on and on, and published letters by several well known people protesting about the reams of Mudar’s unending attacks on Khaled Abu Toameh including a major missive from Caroline Glick. It also described Mudar’s address to the EU as being to a small group of less than 20 supporters of Israel, who are a tiny party in the EU Parliament.
Further down it showed that Mudar apologised about Toameh the very next day to Judean Rose etc.etc.
I am assuming that Jordan and Israel will work together.
Surely everyone involved in this deal has contingency plans for the violence.
Very interesting.
If Jordan administers Area A cities and violence starts which is predictable who will provide security, Ted?