Trump proposes Palestinian state with capital in eastern Jerusalem
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday proposed the creation of a Palestinian state with a capital in eastern Jerusalem, in an effort to achieve a peace breakthrough with Israel that will be a tough sell for Palestinians.
Under Trump’s proposed Middle East peace plan announced at a White House ceremony attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the United States will recognize Israeli settlements on the occupied West Bank.
In exchange, Israel would agree to accept a four-year freeze on new settlement activity while Palestinian statehood were being negotiated.
“Today, Israel has taken a giant step toward peace,” Trump said, adding that he had sent a letter about the proposal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
“This is a historic day,” Netanyahu said, comparing Trump’s peace plan to former President Harry Truman’s 1948 recognition of the state of Israel.
“On this day, you became the first world leader to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over areas in Judea and Samaria that are vital to our security and central to our heritage,” he added, using the Biblical names for the West Bank.
Palestinian leaders had rejected Trump’s long-delayed plan even before its official release, saying his administration was biased towards Israel.
The absence of the Palestinians from Trump’s announcement is likely to fuel criticism that the plan tilts toward Israel’s needs rather than theirs.
Israeli-palestinian talks broke down in 2014, and it was far from clear that the Trump plan will resuscitate them.
Palestinians have refused to deal with the Trump administration in protest at such proisraeli policies as its moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, he east of which is sought by the Palestinians.
U.S. senior administration officials said they expected initial Palestinian skepticism over the plan but hoped that over time they will agree to negotiate. It places high hurdles for the Palestinians to overcome to reach their long-sought goal of a state.
“Strip away the domestic and Israeli political considerations that determined the timing of the plan’s release, and the message to the Palestinians, boiled down to its essence, is: You’ve lost, get over it,” said Robert Malley, president of International Crisis Group and a former U.S. National Security Council official.