Four Arab states have backed the US plan for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, regardless of the position of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, an Israeli newspaper reports.
The Israel Hayom daily interviewed officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan who confirmed to Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, and Jason Greenblatt, the US envoy to the region, their support for the yet to be announced “deal of the century”.
“…the evident problem is that #Arab states’ views on #Palestine have never been more divided.”
And #Kushner, #Greenblatt & co. are taking full advantage of this Arab schism. https://t.co/m6cQS0z8Qd— Khalil Jahshan (@KhalilEJahshan) June 19, 2018
Kushner and Greenblatt conducted a week-long tour of the Middle East, where they visited Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and Israel.
The newspaper, which is owned by American billionaire couple Sheldon and Miriam Adelson (who are also supporters of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu), said that the officials interviewed by the daily also expressed their displeasure with Abbas’s insistence on refusing to meet Kushner and Greenblatt.
Trump is trying to bribe Jordan, KSA, and PA to accept a "peace" deal that recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital, sanctifies Israel's illegal occupation and blockade, & denies right of return to Palestinian refugees.
Spoiler: KSA is already on board!https://t.co/rW3RcZM4hd
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) June 25, 2018
The PA officials have rejected meeting US officials since the Trump administration controversially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, accusing Washington of pro-Israeli bias and as unfit to mediate in peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's senior adviser, said Washington would announce its Middle East peace plan soon, and press on with or without Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. https://t.co/xnlvdNwNbj pic.twitter.com/V0TDcyBSUG
— The Online News (@TheOnlineNews1) June 24, 2018
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Osama Hamdan, member of the Hamas movement’s politburo in Lebanon, said the Arab states are being used by the US to exert pressure on the Palestinian Authority.
Arab states putting pressure on Abbas to accept Trump's "deal of century." Saudi Arabia & Jordan are among those which given green light to talks with US administration about deal, which it is said will end Israeli-Palestinian conflict.https://t.co/aECGNopHJx
— Abrar Khan (@khanabrar643) June 23, 2018
He said:
“There is an American insistence on not dealing with the Palestinian side in order to create an overwhelming pressure on them internally and through the regional Arab states.”
Hamdan warned that any acceptance of the US peace process plan by a Palestinian top-level official would lead to chaos for the Palestinian population.
(AJE, PC, Social Media)