U.S. unveils 'deal of the century' plan

The U.S. "deal of the century" - a plan for Middle Eastern settlement on the basis of the two-state solution was unveiled. 

The document is dubbed 'Peace to Prosperity: A Vision to Improve the Lives of the Palestinian and Israeli People.' "This vision is the most realistic solution to a problem that has plagued the region for far too long. It creates a path to prosperity, security, and dignity for all involved," the  White House said in a statement.

The plan is divided into two parts, an economic portion and a political portion. The economic portion of the plan was released in summer 2019, but the political portion was released now.

As a condition for the peace process, U.S. President Donald Trump cited the Palestinian authorities’ refusal from supporting the Hamas radical movement operating in Gaza and from methods of armed confrontation. The plan suggests more than 50 billion U.S. dollars be facilitated in new investments over ten years as support to the settlement efforts. 

"This Vision would achieve mutual recognition of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people and Palestine as the nation-state of the Palestinian people—each with equal civil rights for all its citizens. The plan designates defensible borders for the State of Israel and does not ask Israel to compromise on the safety of its people, affording them overriding security responsibility for land west of the Jordon River. For Palestinians, the Vision delivers significant territorial expansion, allocating land roughly comparable in size to the West Bank and Gaza for establishing a Palestinian State. Transportation links would allow efficient movement between Gaza and the West Bank, as well as throughout Palestine. The plan does not call for uprooting any people, Arab or Jew, from their homes," the White House said. However Jerusalem, according to Trump, “will remain the sovereign capital of the State of Israel, and it should remain an undivided city."

Special attention is focused on the status of Jerusalem, border issues, security guarantees, a free trade zone, prisoners and refugees, and the rules for further negotiations. The plan gives the entirety of "undivided Jerusalem" to Israel, recognizing it as Israel's capital.

After holding talks with Trump in Washington DC, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the president as "the greatest friend that Israel has had in the White House". "The deal of the century is the opportunity of a century, and we're not going to pass it by," he said. 

Netanyahu's spokesman, Jonathan Urich said the Israeli leader will ask his Cabinet on February 2 to approve his plan to annex parts of the West Bank.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in turn, dismissed the plans as a "conspiracy".

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said that "Trump’s statement is aggressive and it will spark a lot of anger. "Trump’s statement about Jerusalem is nonsense and Jerusalem will always be a land for the Palestinians ... The Palestinians will confront this deal and Jerusalem will remain a Palestinian land," Reuters cited him as saying.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry slammed the U.S. Mideast peace plan. "This is an annexation plan aiming at usurping Palestinian lands and killing two-state solution," the ministry said, adding that Ankara would not let Israel justify its occupation and persecution.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called the peace plan for the Middle East a global "nightmare."

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has called for a balanced approach to breaking the deadlock. "Only a negotiated two-state solution, acceptable to both sides, can lead to a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians," he said. Maas added that Trump's proposal raised questions "about the involvement of the conflicting parties in a negotiation process and their relationship to recognized international parameters and legal positions."

Britain was much warmer to Washington's proposals. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that "this is clearly a serious proposal, reflecting extensive time and effort."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN supports two states living in peace and security within recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines. "The position of the United Nations on the two-state solution has been defined, throughout the years, by relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions by which the Secretariat is bound," Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for Guterres, said.

Russian president’s Special Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Russia will analyze Trump’s "deal of the century", but the main thing that matters is what the Palestinians and other Arab nations think of it.