Hoping to bring about a “new dawn in the Middle East,” U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his peace plan for the region on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing at his side. “My vision presents a win-win opportunity for both sides, a realistic two-state solution that resolves the risk of Palestinian statehood to Israel’s security,” Trump said in the White House East Room. Notably absent was any representative of the Palestinians, who rejected the peace plan even before getting a glimpse of the 80-page proposal, and who were not included in talks about the plan. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivers a speech following the announcement by the U.S. President Donald Trump of the Mideast peace plan, in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jan. 28, 2020.“Jerusalem is not for sale. All our rights are not for sale and are not for bargain. And your deal, the conspiracy, will not pass,” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in televised remarks directed at Trump from Ramallah in the West Bank. Trump sees such initial rejections as a temporary hitch and told those gathered in the East Room that he sent a letter to Abbas, telling him that if he chooses “the path to peace, America and many other countries, we will be there. We will be there to help you in so many different ways.”Acceptance of the plan would lead to $50 billion of outside investment, a million jobs created for Palestinians over a decade, and a doubling or tripling of Palestinians’ GDP, Trump promised.“It is time for the Muslim world to fix the mistake it made in 1948 when it chose to attack, instead of recognize, the new State of Israel,” the president said.Egypt, one of the countries that declared war on Israel at that time, is not rejecting Trump’s vision.The country expressed appreciation of continuing U.S. efforts to realize a fair and comprehensive peaceful settlement for the Palestinian problem, according to the Middle East News Agency in Cairo.”Jordan supports every genuine effort aimed at achieving just and comprehensive peace that people will accept,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said in a statement.Present in the East Room were the ambassadors of Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.“What a pleasure to see you here,” remarked Netanyahu. “And what a sign it portends of the present.”Analysts say a public statement from Riyadh lending Saudi support to Trump’s plan would carry more weight, as the kingdom is the dominant Sunni Muslim power.Later Tuesday, the Saudis released a statement, which said, “In light of the (U.S.) announcement, the kingdom reiterates its support for all efforts aimed at reaching a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian cause.”The kingdom appreciates “the efforts of President Trump’s administration to develop a comprehensive peace plan between the Palestinian and Israeli sides,” the statement continued.Trump proposes a Palestine with limited sovereignty — doubling the size of land currently occupied by Palestinians — and Israel annexing about a third of the disputed West Bank. Israel’s government is now set to vote Sunday on annexing the strategic Jordan Valley and all Israeli settlements in the West Bank. President Trump tweeted this map on Jan. 28, 2020, illustrating his Middle East peace plan, saying, “This is what a future State of Palestine can look like, with a capital in parts of East Jerusalem.”Both Trump and Netanyahu face domestic political woes ahead of elections in their respective countries.Trump is on trial in the Senate after being impeached by the Democratic-controlled House for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. By the time of the U.S. presidential election in November, “I think many Americans will have forgotten about this peace vision unveiling,” said Jim Philips, senior Middle East analyst at the Heritage Foundation.Netanyahu, after giving up a push in the Knesset (Parliament) for immunity from prosecution, was indicted in corruption cases just hours before taking the White House stage with Trump. Trump met separately Monday with Netanyahu and his chief political rival Benny Gantz, who called the peace deal “a significant and historic milestone” and one he looks forward to implementing if he becomes the next Israeli prime minister following next month’s election.Patsy Widakuswara, Elizabeth Cherneff and Tina Trinh contributed to this report.
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