Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Rejects Jared Kushner’s Mideast Peace Plan For Favoring Israel

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday his plan for the Middle East. The plan, although mentioning the possible future creation of a Palestinian state, leaves major chunks of the West Bank to Israel. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the deal and said he would ask his Cabinet to approve plans to annex West Bank territory, while Palestine called the deal “nonsense.” 

Trump referred to his plan as a “win-win” for both Israel and the Palestinians, while Netanyahu called it a “great plan for Israel.” At a speech in the West Bank, however, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas refused to accept it. “We say 1,000 no’s to the Deal of the Century,” Abbas said. “We will not kneel and we will not surrender.” He then added that the Palestinians would decline the plan through “peaceful, popular means.”

Trump held a ceremony at the White House alongside Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. No Palestinian officials were present.

“It’s going to work,” Trump said. “If they do this, it will work. Your response to this historic opportunity will show the world to what extent you are ready to lead the Palestinian people to statehood.”

This comes just as Trump is being tried for obstruction of congress and abuse of executive power and as Netanyahu is being indicted on counts of fraud, breach of trust and bribery in three separate cases. 

The Palestinians want the entire West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, and the removal of Israeli personnel from those regions. However, this plan leaves them at a huge disadvantage. 

Trump said he wanted the deal to be a “great deal for the Palestinians,” and that his plan for the Middle East gives Palestine the time needed for them to meet the challenges of statehood.

Thousands of Palestinians gathered to protest in Gaza City before the announcement while burning pictures of Trump and Netanyahu. Banners were raised that read “Palestine is not for sale.”