- Jared Kushner has been patronizing Palestine as the Trump administration unveils its Middle East "peace plan."
- Kushner's tone toward Palestinians suggests he doesn't genuinely care if they accept the plan, which he crafted.
- Palestine was not involved in the discussions behind the deal and its leaders have already rejected it.
- Critics of the deal view it as fundamentally pro-Israel and say it cannot be considered a "peace plan" without Palestine's involvement.
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Jared Kushner does not seem genuinely interested in selling his Middle East "peace plan" to Palestinians, as he's spent a significant chunk of the past 24 hours talking down to them following the deal's unveiling.
Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, crafted the plan. In an interview with CNN on Tuesday, Kushner urged Palestinian leaders to "do what's best to try to make the Palestinian people's lives better."
Speaking on one of the most incendiary issues in modern world history, Kushner added: "If they don't, they're going to screw up another opportunity, like they've screwed up every other opportunity that they've ever had in their existence."
"It's a big opportunity for the Palestinians," Kushner said. "They have a perfect track record of blowing every opportunity they've had in their past."
—CNN (@CNN) January 28, 2020
Kushner continued to condescend to Palestinians in an interview with "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday morning.
"The Palestinian track record is perfect in not being able to make a deal," Kushner said.
—Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 29, 2020
Palestine was not involved in discussions behind the deal, and its leaders have categorically rejected what is widely viewed as a fundamentally pro-Israel plan that is driven more by politics than a sincere desire for peace.
"There was no meaningful consultation with the Palestinians over the past two years, and the result is a plan that would be very difficult for any Palestinian leader to accept and defend to their people," Dan Shapiro, who was the US ambassador to Israel under former President Barack Obama, told Insider on Wednesday.
The Trump administration said the deal has "the potential to facilitate more than $50 billion in new investment over ten years," and the president has said it's a "win-win opportunity." But with no Palestinian involvement, critics say it's misleading to call it a "peace plan," and some analysts have suggested it could even spark further violence.
As Insider previously reported:
- The president said the plan, which was roughly three years in the making, is a "realistic two-state solution" and would pave the way for the creation of a Palestinian state.
- Trump said Palestine would have a capital in parts of eastern Jerusalem, but also said "Jerusalem will remain Israel's undivided capital."
- But the deal makes clear that Israel's territory would surround Palestine, which would be barred from having its own military or controlling its airspace, while all of its international agreements would be subject to Israeli approval. Experts noted that would hardly qualify as statehood.
- David Friedman, the US ambassador to Israel, told reporters the deal allows for the immediate annexation of settlements envisioned as Israeli territory in the occupied West Bank. Shortly after, it was reported Netanyahu had called on his Cabinet to move toward a vote on annexation by Sunday.
- Israeli settlements are among the most divisive issues in foreign affairs, and have long been considered illegal by the international community and among the biggest obstacles to a two-state solution.
- The plan would effectively create a Palestinian territory surrounded by Israel, with the Israeli government in full control of security.
- By greenlighting Israeli settlements in historically Palestinian-held areas, Trump's peace plan may actually make peace much harder to attain.
- Trump attempted to reach out to Palestine in his Tuesday remarks, stating that he has "a lot" to do for the Palestinians. But within hours, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made it clear there's no chance he will accept the plan.
- Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza, is also rejecting the plan.
Trump, whose impeachment trial is ongoing in the Senate, unveiled the deal while standing next to Benjamin Netanyahu just hours after the Israeli prime minister was formally indicted on corruption charges.
Netanyahu, a close ally of Trump, is fighting for his political life with Israel set to hold its third election in a year in March. The deal has been celebrated by Netanyahu and his political allies, as well as congressional Republicans.
