Arab states warned US against revealing 'peace' plan: Report

Rasa - Arab countries have reportedly warned the US against revealing its so-called Mideast peace plan, saying disclosing a plan that doesn't meet Palestinian expectations could agitate the region.

News ID: 438496

Date: 02 July 2018 - 11:29

RNA - US President Donald Trump’s "deal of the century" is being spearheaded by his senior adviser Jared Kushner and Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt, and is reportedly supported by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Jordan.

The duo recently ended a tour of the region, with  Ha’aretz reporting that  “the Arab officials cited the fact that their countries are dealing with internal challenges.”

They said disclosing a plan that did not meet Palestinians’ expectations could further disturb region, the daily said, quoting “a Palestinian official.”

"Egypt isn't short on internal issues, along with fighting terror in Sinai; Jordan is dealing with many difficulties on the home front and repercussions from the Syrian war don't simplify things and the Saudis with the challenges in Yemen and the struggle against Iran," the official said.

"If the [Trump] administration presents a plan without Jerusalem [al-Quds] and without the refugees it will be an earthquake whose repercussion will undermine stability in the entire region and not one is ready for that," the source added.

The warning struck a clearly different tone from the support that four regional Arab states reportedly threw behind the plan during Kushner and Greenblatt’s visit.

Israel Hayom daily reported on Monday that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Jordan had assured the US of their support for the plan.

The US has been pushing to conclude the proposal, despite the Palestinian Authority’s rejection of Washington’s mediation role in the conflict with Israel after the US relocated its embassy to the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.

Back in May, Israeli intelligence website DEBKAfile reported that the plan gave the Palestinians limited sovereignty over about half of Tel Aviv-occupied West Bank and set Abu Dis, east of the occupied al-Quds, as their capital.

According to Press TV, Palestinians have historically sought east al-Quds as the capital of their future state.

The US plan would also reportedly give Palestinians’ sovereignty over the Gaza Strip on the condition that the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas gave up its arms.

Last year, Trump recognized al-Quds as Israel's "capital," and moved the US embassy to the city in May.

Following Trump's announcement, an overwhelming number of countries voted in favor of a resolution at the UN General Assembly, which called on Washington to withdraw the recognition.

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