Avi Berkowitz to arrive in Israel Sunday, first trip since taking office

The peace team originally planned to roll out the political part of the plan last summer but decided to wait until a new government in Israel is sworn in.

By OMRI NAHMIAS
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion (R) with Avi Berkowitz, Assistant to the President and Special Representative for International Negotiations, December 4, 2019 (photo credit: NUNA)
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion (R) with Avi Berkowitz, Assistant to the President and Special Representative for International Negotiations, December 4, 2019
(photo credit: NUNA)
WASHINGTON – Avi Berkowitz, assistant to US President Donald Trump and special representative for international negotiations, will arrive in Israel on Sunday, The Jerusalem Post has learned. It will be his first trip to Israel since he formally succeeded Jason Greenblatt in November.
Berkowitz is expected to meet with US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman amid speculations that the administration might release the peace plan even before Israel's upcoming elections in March.
The peace team originally planned to roll out the political part of the plan last summer but decided to wait until a new government in Israel is sworn in. Since then, Israel is experiencing an unprecedented political deadlock, and now facing a third round of elections.
The peace team is, therefore, facing a decision between two choices. The first is releasing the plan despite the political stalemate in Israel, which could hurt the prospects of its success. The second is to wait until Israel elections in March, which could result in a deadlock yet again. In that case, it might be too late to release the plan so close to the US presidential elections in November.
It was not immediately clear which Israeli officials Berkowitz might meet with while in Israel. In his recent visit to the region together with senior adviser Jared Kushner in October, the two met with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and with Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.
In June of 2019, the administration released the economic part of the plan. Under the title "Peace to Prosperity – The Economic Plan: A New Vision for the Palestinian People," the Trump administration published a 40-page document that lays out a detailed vision in all aspects of life, from roads and rail to taxes and education, which it says is to be built upon three pillars: "The people, the economy and the government."
According to the document, "with the potential to facilitate more than $50 billion in new investment over 10 years, Peace to Prosperity represents the most ambitious and comprehensive international effort for the Palestinian people to date. It has the ability to transform the West Bank and Gaza fundamentally and to open a new chapter in Palestinian history – one defined, not by adversity and loss, but by freedom and dignity."
More than half the funds ($28b.) would go toward the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the rest would be divided among Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon. But since then, the administration is yet to release the political component of the deal.
While the peace plan was not revealed, the administration made a significant announcement in November, stating that it does not view Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal. The policy change was announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington.
"After carefully studying all sides of the legal debate, this administration agrees with president [Ronald] Reagan," Pompeo said in reference to Ronald Reagan's position that settlements were not inherently illegal. "The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not per se inconsistent with international law."


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