Wednesday, February 5, 2020

U.N. Drafts Resolution to Condemn Trump Admin Middle East Peace Plan: Report


By Tobias Hoonhout
Wednesday, February 05, 2020

A draft resolution from the United Nations Security Council obtained by Reuters condemns a the Trump administration’s recently unveiled framework for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

The text, which would likely face a U.S. veto, raises concerns about “the illegality of the annexation of any part” of Palestinian-occupied land, and “condemns recent statements calling for annexation by Israel” of the same territory. A U.S. veto would still allow Palestine to bring the resolution to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly for a public vote, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expected to address the U.N. Security Council next week.

Led by the efforts of Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, the plan — unveiled by Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House last week — calls for more than doubling the area of the West Bank currently under Palestinian control and allows for a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem.

In return, the plan calls for the Palestinians to disarm terror groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the discontinuing of Palestinian Authority programs that fund terrorists, and to  recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

Trump insisted last week that Israel would have “undivided” control over Jerusalem, and that no Israelis or Palestinians would be uprooted from their homes to make the deal.

“The Jewish state owes [Jared Kushner], and it owes President Trump, an eternal debt of gratitude,” Netanyahu said at the deal’s unveiling, signaling Israel’s willingness to cooperate.

While the Palestinians immediately rejected the deal, it has gained the support of a number of Arab countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

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