Trump’s peace plan sets conditions for surrender, Palestinians tell UNSC
The US cannot blatantly violate international law by recognizing Jerusalem as the “so called capital of Israel” and pretend that it has no implications on peace," Maliki said.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFPalestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki addresses the UNSC's Arria-Formula in New York.(photo credit: SCREEN CAPTURE/UN WEB TV)
US President Donald Trump’s peace plan is a document of surrender and no amount of money will sway the Palestinian Authority to support it, PA Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki told an informal gathering of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday.“We cannot afford not to engage with any peace efforts. But the US administration efforts cannot be characterized, nor can qualify as peace efforts,” Maliki told an UNSC Arria-Formula meeting that was organized by Indonesia. “All indicates this far, that this is not a peace plan, but rather conditions for surrender. There is no amount of money that can make it acceptable.“We would have been more hopeful had they not been deaf to our appeals, blind to Israeli violations and mute at best on the fundamentals of peace when not actively undermining them," Maliki said.The US cannot blatantly violate international law by recognizing Jerusalem as the “so called capital of Israel” and pretend that it has no implications on peace," Maliki said.“It is not possible to have faith in such efforts. Every decision the US has taken since has simply confirmed the US disregard for Palestinians lives and Palestinian right and for international consensus and for the law," Maliki said. “Our people have not struggled for so long and endured so much to simply change the color and the size of their chains. They want freedom, not conditional liberty, they want sovereignty, not limited autonomy."US envoy Jason Greenblatt made a special appearance at the UNSC meeting. He urged the other UNSC members to support the US plan, which could be published as early as next month.In past speeches and again on Thursday, UNSC members spoke about the importance of sticking with the formula of a two state solution based on the pre-1967 lines. They are concerned that the Trump peace plan will deviate from past understanding. Both Greenblatt and Trump-son-in-law Jared Kushner who have helped author the plan have already stated that it breaks new ground.In speaking to the UNSC, Greenblatt said, “the vision for peace that we will soon put forward will be realistic and implementable, but it will require compromises from both sides. Our team has attempted to look at these issues with a fresh perspective. We have recognized the current reality, but also what remains possible.”“It is a serious effort to lay out the core issues of the conflict in enough detail that everyone will be able to imagine what peace could look like. This is the right package of compromises for both sides to take in order to leave the past behind and try to start a new chapter where there can be tremendous hope and opportunity in the region,” he added.“It seems it would be in the best interest of everyone in the room to support the parties to get together and to get behind this opportunity,” Greenblatt said. “If there is going to be any deal, the parties themselves have to make it and we do no favors for anybody pretending otherwise,”“We genuinely hope both the Israelis and Palestinians will take a real look at our vision for peace when we release it, before any unilateral steps are taken,” he said.“We hope to present our vision soon. And in the meantime, we will continue to speak the truth, even when it is not welcome,” Greenblatt added.
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