I keep mulling over the reaction of the Palestinians to the new peace proposal put forward by President Trump. President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority says that the PA is ending all agreements with Israel and the USA. He wouldn't even speak to Trump despite American efforts to arrange a conversation. It's a strange new reality in which rationality doesn't seem to matter.
The Trump plan is different in a major way from past peace plans. For the first time, the Palestinians have a down side if they don't come to terms with the Israelis. In past plans, Israel was always required to undertake what were called "confidence building measures" to promote peace. Trump no longer includes more of those. The basic requirements for Israel in the Trump plan haven't changed much from other plans, but they only take place once the Palestinians have actually agreed to the plan and demonstrated that they are committed to following it. In the past, the Israelis were pressured to undertake the confidence building measures only to see the Palestinians do nothing in return. It was a no lose situation for the Palestinians. They just had to wait and let the USA and other nations pressure Israel into more concessions towards the Palestinians. That structure has been exploded by the Trump plan.
I get that the Palestinians can't be happy that the USA will no longer pressure concessions from Israel unless the Palestinians make concessions of their own. What makes no sense is that the Palestinians would respond by basically giving up all the past concessions by Israel. After all, if the Oslo process agreements are all rescinded, then Israel is in total charge of the West Bank. President Abbas has basically given up the right of the Palestinians to control any of that territory.
Most likely, Abbas thinks that he can still rely on pressure from other countries to prevent that result. If so, he is delusional. President Trump is unlikely to bow to pressure on this point. Israel is in the middle of yet another election, and the leaders of both of the main parties have already accepted the peace plan. They are unlikely to hold back from asserting Israel's right to control the area for fear of a major political backlash in the election.
It is indeed a strange new reality. It seems as if the Palestinians don't want their own state.
The Trump plan is different in a major way from past peace plans. For the first time, the Palestinians have a down side if they don't come to terms with the Israelis. In past plans, Israel was always required to undertake what were called "confidence building measures" to promote peace. Trump no longer includes more of those. The basic requirements for Israel in the Trump plan haven't changed much from other plans, but they only take place once the Palestinians have actually agreed to the plan and demonstrated that they are committed to following it. In the past, the Israelis were pressured to undertake the confidence building measures only to see the Palestinians do nothing in return. It was a no lose situation for the Palestinians. They just had to wait and let the USA and other nations pressure Israel into more concessions towards the Palestinians. That structure has been exploded by the Trump plan.
I get that the Palestinians can't be happy that the USA will no longer pressure concessions from Israel unless the Palestinians make concessions of their own. What makes no sense is that the Palestinians would respond by basically giving up all the past concessions by Israel. After all, if the Oslo process agreements are all rescinded, then Israel is in total charge of the West Bank. President Abbas has basically given up the right of the Palestinians to control any of that territory.
Most likely, Abbas thinks that he can still rely on pressure from other countries to prevent that result. If so, he is delusional. President Trump is unlikely to bow to pressure on this point. Israel is in the middle of yet another election, and the leaders of both of the main parties have already accepted the peace plan. They are unlikely to hold back from asserting Israel's right to control the area for fear of a major political backlash in the election.
It is indeed a strange new reality. It seems as if the Palestinians don't want their own state.
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