By: Arye Green
President Donald Trump on Sunday said that his administration would likely unveil its peace plan after Israel’s elections in September.
Trump told reporters that “We will probably wait for the release of the Middle East peace plan until after the Israeli elections.” He also said that they might “release small parts of it beforehand.”
The “Deal of the Century” as the plan has been called, has been under wraps for months now. It was planned to be unveiled over the summer but has been delayed due to Israel’s unexpected return to elections, following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s failure to form a coalition.
The economic segment of the deal was presented in the conference held in Bahrain in June. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, led the conference and laid out the financial aspects of the proposed deal. The Trump administration said it would invest $50 billion in the Palestinian economy as well as other countries in the region.
Leaders in the Palestinian Authority have not cooperated thus far and have reiterated their rejection of the US investment in the Palestinian economy.
Other leaders in the Arab world have been more hopeful about the plan. Saudi finance minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said Saudi Arabia would support whatever economic plan that would bring prosperity to the Palestinians.
Israel remains cautiously open to the ideas put forth in the plan, and will not reject or embrace it before it is fully known. Netanyahu said he would wait and see the entire plan, but under no circumstances will he compromise Israel’s security.
In a related development, Prime Minister Netanyahu on Sunday remarked on the growing tension in the region and sent a threatening message to Hamas.
“If it proves necessary, we will embark on a wide-ranging campaign regardless of the elections. With or without the elections, we will do what is necessary for the security of Israel,” said Netanyahu before embarking on a diplomatic mission to Ukraine.
Over the weekend, Palestinian terrorists committed several terror attacks in both Gaza and Judea and Samaria.
Throughout the weekend rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel. The Iron Dome defense system intercepted most, but one hit the yard of a home in Sderot. On Sunday night IDF forces killed five armed Hamas terrorists who attempted to cross the Gazan border in order to attack Israeli civilians.
Netanyahu praised the Israeli security forces for their successful effort to thwart the terrorists who attempted to infiltrate the border. “I would like to commend the IDF for its action yesterday in eliminating five terrorists on Gazan territory. My mission is to maintain security and quiet, and we are taking all requisite actions,” he said.
Last week terrorists attacked a policeman in the old city of Jerusalem injuring him lightly, and seriously injured two siblings in a car-ramming attack near Elazar.
In response to these attacks, Netanyahu told reporters he wouldn’t allow the situation to deteriorate further, and that the upcoming elections are not an issue in that regard.
“I have heard talk to the effect that I have refrained from embarking on a wide-ranging operation based on electoral considerations. This is incorrect. Whoever knows me knows that my considerations are substantive and genuine and that I act in full cooperation with the security forces, vigorously and sagaciously,” said Netanyahu.
(TPS)
