US peace negotiators Jared Kushner (R), Jason Greenblatt (L), and Amb. David Friedman (Matty Stern/US Embassy Tel Aviv)
The US peace plan allegedly includes cutting away four Arab neighborhoods that would become the Palestinian capital.
By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News
Israelis woke up Friday morning to a report claiming that US President Donald Trump’s Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, yet to be presented, includes an Israeli withdrawal from parts of Jerusalem that would become the capital of a future Palestinian state.
US officials deny the report.
According to the Ma’ariv newspaper, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman was informed about the plan during his visit to Washington last week, where he met with new National Security Adviser John Bolton, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, and Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt.
Four Arab neighborhoods would be transferred to the control of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to form its capital: Isawiya, Shuafat, Jebl Mukabar and Abu Dis, the report says. The latter is part of Area B, under the civil jurisdiction of the PA but subject to Israeli security control. It also has long been considered by some US and Israeli officials as a possible location for a Palestinian capital.
While some Israeli officials are in favor of transferring these Arab neighborhoods, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, to the PA in order increase the Jewish majority in the city, the idea never gained acceptance in government circles.
Another part of the plan, says the report, would be to internationalize the Old City’s Holy Basin. This would be completely unacceptable, however, to a majority of Israelis across the political spectrum.
In exchange for such large Israeli concessions, Washington promises to support the Jewish state, both politically and militarily, if Israel goes to war with Syria or Iran.
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