America rules out proposals to split Palestinian territories
Greenblatt: I am responding to steady flow of ‘misinformation’ coming from region
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration confirmed on Tuesday that its upcoming Middle East peace plan aspires to unify Gaza and the West Bank into a jointly governed entity, amid rumors in Arab capitals it would instead propose siphoning off the territories into confederations with neighboring Egypt and Jordan.
Speaking with Ynet, Jason Greenblatt, the administration’s special representative for international negotiations, said he was responding to a steady flow of “misinformation” coming out of the region – including from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas – claiming the plan sought to diminish the Palestinian cause by denying them full sovereignty.
US President Donald Trump’s closest advisers have been working on proposals for Middle East peace since the beginning of his administration and plan on releasing their work by the end of the year.
The president himself acknowledged his preference for a two-state solution during the UN General Assembly in New York last month.
“Let’s be clear about something: Gaza and the West Bank have been separated for 10 years, not only physically, but politically – between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. It’s absurd to deny that reality,” said Greenblatt.
“In contrast, our peace plan intends to bring them together. Make no mistake; we are in this to help all Palestinians, in both the West Bank and Gaza,” Greenblatt added. “The type of disinformation being spread by some parties who have not even seen the plan yet wish to be spoilers [and] does nothing to benefit ordinary Palestinian lives.”