Tasked by U.S. President Donald Trump to help reach the “deal of the century,” Jason Greenblatt, who serves as one of Trump’s top Middle East envoys, has a herculean task before him: to help negotiate the peace plan between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, Greenblatt addressed some of the issues surrounding the administration’s soon-to-be-released peace plan.
Q: How do you view the overall relationship at this point between the United States and Israel under the current Trump administration?
A: I think that the relationship between the United States and Israel has never been stronger, and I don’t think we’ve ever had a president more supportive of the State of Israel. And I think that it’s clear that the support is returned by Israelis, who have clearly expressed their appreciation to President [Donald] Trump for his policies relating to Israel. He’s done something no other president had the courage to do. He recognized the reality that Jerusalem is and always will be Israel’s capital. And he finally moved the United States Embassy to Jerusalem, where it always belonged.
Q: Without getting into specific details, what makes this attempt at peace between Israel and the Palestinians fundamentally different from previous attempts?
A: I think our plan begins with reality. It recognizes the history of the conflict of course, but [other plans] were always relying on tired notions of what it should be. Instead, it focuses on what it could be. Our plan isn’t just a two-page term sheet; it’s an extensive document that we’ve developed that explains how we think the conflict can be resolved. It lays out each issue and proposed solutions very clearly so both sides can understand what the solutions really are and whether they are going to be willing to live with those proposed solutions. It’s the result of extensive consultation with Israelis, Palestinians from before the Jerusalem announcement, regional leaders and other stakeholders. All of their questions and concerns have helped us forge a plan into a deal we think is realistic, fair and, equally important, implementable.
Q: At a rally in Charleston, W.V., on Aug. 21, President Trump said that Israel would pay a “higher price” in future talks with the Palestinians. What is that “higher price,” and what is in store for the Palestinians?
A: We think what we have developed is the best opportunity for a fair deal for both sides. There are parts of the plan Israel is going to love, and there are parts that Israel is not going to like. And the same is true for the Palestinians. So what we want people to ask themselves after reading the plan is: Will we be better off with this plan or continuing without it? We think both sides are going to gain a lot more than they give. But to answer your question specifically—and I didn’t discuss the specific comment with President Trump—but I believe that he meant that if we’re lucky enough to have both sides negotiating our plan in good faith, we hope that Israel will take into account President Trump’s good-faith efforts in advancing the goal of peace.
Q: Can Mahmoud Abbas one day become a partner for peace?
A: I certainly hope that President Abbas chooses to engage with the peace plan, and I hope he decides to lead his people to a better and brighter future, which is what this plan could bring the people. I think that working with the Trump administration is President Abbas’s best opportunity to possibly achieve many of the goals he has set out for himself and his people. The continued condemnation of the peace plan is going to yield no solution whatsoever to the Palestinian people. So our hope is that he will realize when he sees the plan that he should become a partner for peace.
Q: Taking the Middle East into account when talking about a future peace plan, how does Israel’s new status as a regional economic, technological and military superpower change Israel’s bargaining position?
A: I wouldn’t describe it as bargaining positions. What I see relevant is Israel’s success over the last 70 years, which has been nothing short of amazing. And I think it should stand as an example to Palestinians and the region of what they could achieve if their leaders engage on the peace plan and let us help them help themselves. It’s important for us to point out that the peace agreement itself is not the end of the road; it’s the days after and the years after. We have spent a great deal of time figuring out what happens post-peace agreement.
Q: Will any peace deal need approval from regional partners, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan?
A: Approval is a strong word. I think the only real path forward to a peace deal is direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. I do think that the regional partners are key players in our efforts, and we have done extensive consultations throughout the region and throughout our process. We’re also hopeful that we can count on their support, and I use the word ”support” rather than “approval,” so they can help the Palestinians achieve a better future.
I just want to add one more point—the advice that I would give everybody, Israelis, Palestinians, everybody else who is interested in the file—is wait until the plan is released, and when it’s released, please read it cover to cover and judge the plan on its merits—not on rumors, not on speculation, not on news reports, but on what’s in it. Really read it. We hope that once Israelis and Palestinians in the region and everybody else who wants to help will read it, that Israelis and Palestinians are going to have the courage to engage in the plan and lead their people to a better future.
By Josh Hasten/JNS.org
(excerpted from the original article)
