Arch Dornan
Oh, lovely. They've sent me a mo-ron.
Trump releases long-awaited Middle-East peace plan
The peace plan offers a Palestinian state but also hints at recognition of Israeli settlements.
www.bbc.co.uk
Another US president having another go at the quagmire of Israel and Palestine.
Points outlined as follows:
- The US will recognise Israeli sovereignty over territory that Mr Trump's plan envisages being part of Israel. The plan includes a conceptual map that Mr Trump says illustrates the territorial compromises that Israel is willing to make
- The map will "more than double the Palestinian territory and provide a Palestinian capital in eastern Jerusalem", where Mr Trump says the US would open an embassy. The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) said Mr Trump's plan would give Palestinians control over 15% of what it called "historic Palestine".
- Jerusalem "will remain Israel's undivided capital". Both Israel and the Palestinians hold competing claims to the holy city. The Palestinians insist that East Jerusalem, which Israel occupied in the 1967 Middle East war, be the capital of their future state.
- An opportunity for Palestinians to "achieve an independent state of their very own" - however, he gave few details.
- "No Palestinians or Israelis will be uprooted from their homes" - suggesting that existing Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will remain.
- Israel will work with the king of Jordan to ensure that the status quo governing the key holy site in Jerusalem known to Jews as the Temple Mount and al-Haram al-Sharif to Muslims is preserved. Jordan runs the religious trust that administers the site.
- Territory allocated to Palestinians in Mr Trump's map "will remain open and undeveloped for a period of four years". During that time, Palestinians can study the deal, negotiate with Israel, and "achieve the criteria for statehood".
@GoldRanger what's your take? I know the Palestinians are very stubborn like a gambler going for all or nothing with the Three No's but now their position is untenable. Former supporters in using them as a catspaw see them as more of a hindrance.
It looks like Trump's method in how he negotiates. Put out a list of points and wait for their response. When they inevitably disagree with the plan, Trump does something to twist their arm and finally bring them to the negotiating table.