We surely live in an atmosphere where the word ‘peace’ means the alarms have gone off. It means that a weaker state is targeted and pushed to compromise on something which they inherently had a claim on. It means yet again laws and treaties are thrown in the dustbin and that behavior is validated by the guardian of human rights that is the US.
The middle-east plan was announced on Monday with the two blokes equally euphoric and validating each other’s statements with the demand of a nod in agreement from the media as if they were not sure what they were going to do. The plan is self-dubbed as ‘deal of the century’ as it has ended world poverty, eliminated terrorism and rid the world of nuclear weapons most of which are owned by Israel and the United States.
Timing of the bill coincides with Netanyahu’s indictment on corruption charges back home amidst its third election in the year set to be in March. Netanyahu, like his American counterpart, knows better. He knows that public stunts like these to save individual power over national security, are always welcomed.
The deal makes it apparent that Israel will surround Palestine and restrain it from having its own army, while all of its international agreements would go through Israel’s approval first
The peace deal is driven more by politics than by a sincere desire to attain peace between Israel and Palestine. Trump while announcing the plan said that ‘it’s a win-win opportunity’ and goes in alignment with the ‘two-state doctrine’. While in reality under the proposed plan, Jerusalem, with significant value to both Israel and Palestine is named as the ‘undivided capital of Israel. The deal makes it apparent that Israel will surround Palestine and restrain it from having its own army, while all of its international agreements would go through Israel’s approval first. This has to be the most bogus concept of statehood in the history of mankind.
Israeli settlements in the west bank are long considered illegal by the international community and a major obstacle to a two-state solution. But who cares when your best-friend makes all the rules.
The deal gives a green-light to Israel to formally annex the settlements in the occupied west bank. ‘Netanyahu has reportedly called on his cabinet to move towards a vote on annexation by Sunday’.
Read more: US deal of the century is actually STEAL of the century
By a standard dictionary definition, the word deal involves all the parties concerned and affected. It was not a Palestine-Israel deal but a USA-Israel’s apartheid approach to try and impose it on the Palestinian people without their involvement. Trump administration says that it was because Palestinian leaders had boycotted engagements with the US and Israel. But why would they engage with states who boycotted massive grants to the Palestinian refugees, unilaterally recognized Jerusalem as a capital of Israel, moved the embassy there and now is trying to bribe the Palestinian authority with 50 billion dollars for them to nod yes?
Its more of a ‘take it or leave it’ plan as reflected in the statements of Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law who is the architect of the plan and has apparently studied 20 books on Israel-Palestine conflict. What a waste of knowledge! He said ‘ we have created an opportunity for their[Palestine] leadership to either seize it or not’.
Talking about availing the ‘opportunity he said again ‘ if they don’t, then they are going to screw up another opportunity like they have screwed up every other opportunity that they have ever had in their existence’. The tone doesn’t reflect that of a moderator which the US is supposed to be. It sounds like a solid threat saying ‘If you don’t accept it, it doesn’t matter. We are gonna go ahead with our unilateral plan either way’.
USA so openly and proudly recognizing the settler’s colonialism of Israel is not good news especially for Pakistan who has always had a strong stance on the Palestinian statehood
The ‘peace plan’ is only going to flare up the tensions instead of relieving them. Gaza, which is mainly controlled by Hamas, a militant organization, stands firmly with the Palestinian government despite being at cross-roads with the Palestinian leadership at all times. Earlier today, on Friday the 31st, 3 rockets have already been fired from the Palestine enclave at Israel which has been responded by Israel.
The USA so openly and proudly recognizing the settler’s colonialism of Israel is not good news especially for Pakistan who has always had a strong stance on the Palestinian statehood. And it can also validate India’s attempt to annex Kashmir where human is living in lockdown for a very long time now.
Palestinians may not have a good track record of availing opportunities in Jared’s words but the USA has a strong track record of destroying everything it puts its hands-on and especially in the name of peace.
Read more: Israel-Palestine: Deal of the century or the devil’s deal
Naila Mahsud is a Pakistani political and International relations researcher, with a focus on regional politics and security issues. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.