American politicians and activists had mixed reactions to US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan after it was released on Tuesday night.
Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar called the plan “theft” and “erasure.”
“They could have guaranteed justice, and brought everyone into this peace deal. Instead these two embattled heads of state, impeached and indicted, have a “just us” peace deal. It’s shameful and disingenuous!” wrote Omar on Twitter on Tuesday.
Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib stated that it’s “fitting” that the plan was released by “a forever impeached President on the same day that Netanyahu was indicted for corruption.”
“This political stunt gets us no closer to peace or justice. As a member of Congress, I consider it a non-starter,” tweeted Tlaib.
Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders stressed that any plan by the US must “end the Israeli occupation and enable Palestinian self-determination in an independent state of their own,” in a tweet on Tuesday.
Sanders wrote that Trump’s “so-called ‘peace deal’ doesn’t come close, and will only perpetuate the conflict. It is unacceptable.”
Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren called the plan a “rubber stamp for annexation,” adding that it offers no chance for a real Palestinian state.
“Releasing a plan without negotiating with Palestinians isn’t diplomacy, it’s a sham. I will oppose unilateral annexation in any form-and reverse any policy that supports it,” wrote Warren.
“We as Americans are COMPLICIT. This must be condemned by all people of conscience,” Linda Sarsour tweeted. “A peace plan without Palestinians is not a peace plan, it’s a re-election campaign strategy for Donald Trump.”
The founder and Chairman of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), Pastor John Hagee, called the plan “the best peace proposal any American administration has ever put forth.”
“CUFI, as we have since our founding, stands with the decisions of the democratically elected government of Israel. We hope the Palestinian leadership will not miss yet another opportunity for peace in the region,” said Hagee.
The National Chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), Senator Norm Coleman, stated that the plan “has great potential to bring peace and security to both Israelis and Palestinians.”
The plan “recognizes the aspirations and potential of the Palestinian people to become an independent and prosperous neighbor in the Middle East” but “does not compromise on the requirements that the Palestinians reject terrorism, stop inciting violence, stop their indecent ‘pay for slay’ program that pays terrorists for their crimes, and end corruption and human rights abuses.” “Jewish Dems view the plan released by the White House today as detached from reality because it treats the Palestinian people as a problem to be solved rather than as a party to the conflict,” said Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA)’s Executive Director Halie Soifer. “The complete absence of the Palestinians today speaks volumes about the illegitimacy and naïveté of the process that led to the plan’s creation.” “President Trump has chosen to ignore one party to this conflict and effectively impose conditions on both sides. For decades, this approach was unacceptable to the Jewish community, and today is no different. While we wish it wasn’t so, today’s White House announcement appears to be more about politics than peace,” added Soifer.
The prime minister is expected to vote on Sunday at the Cabinet meeting to immediately apply sovereignty to the territories in Judea and Samaria.
Israel will retain 20% of the West Bank and will lose a small amount of land in the Negev near the Gaza-Egypt border. The Palestinians will have a pathway to a state in the vast majority of territory in the West Bank, while Israel will maintain control of all borders.
The Palestinians will have a capital in east Jerusalem based on northern and eastern neighborhoods that are outside the Israeli security barrier. Otherwise, Trump said Jerusalem will remain undivided as Israel’s capital.
The plan does not include immediate recognition of a Palestinian state; rather, it expects a willingness on Israel’s part to create a pathway toward Palestinian statehood based on specific territory.
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