Trump's "deal of the century" as a distraction ploy

Trump's "deal of the century" peace plan changes nothing, RISS expert Vladimir Fitin believes. "The U.S. President is just trying to distract people's attention from the impeachment trial. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been indicted on corruption charges in three separate cases. It turns out that both leaders will benefit from the "deal of the century." The peace plan was also unveiled to Netanyahu' political rival Benny Gantz as it is not yet clear which of them will be the next Prime Minister," he said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas predictably rejected this deal, saying that "Jerusalem is not for sale, all our rights are not for sale and are not for bargain."

The "Deal of the Century" envisages Jerusalem a single and indivisible capital of Israel. The proposed Palestinian capital will be in Abu Dis, a Palestinian neighborhood on the outskirts of the city (there are about ten thousand inhabitants). The two holy sites, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Temple, will be accessible to pilgrims. According to the peace plan, Israeli sovereignty would be recognized over the whole of Jerusalem. Another serious problem is the return of Arab refugees that were expelled from their homes during the Arab-Israeli conflict (approximately 5-6 million people). Tel Aviv believes that if all these refugees return, the Jewish population will soon cease to exist. Trump's deal rules out Palestinian refugees’ right to return, and Palestinian state would have to be fully demilitarized.

"Netanyahu's reaction to the "deal of the century" has once again demonstrated the increased role and influence of Russia in the Middle East. The Israeli Prime Minister plans to head for Moscow to inform the Russian president of the details of the US plan to hear Putin's opinion about it," Fitin concluded.

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