Essentials of the Trump “Deal of the Century”

Essentials of the Trump “Deal of the Century”

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_peace_plan

The Trump administration stated that it would break with the worn paradigms of past approaches to the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, removing two core issues, namely  (1) recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital on December 6, 2017; and (2) on November 18, 2019, stating that Jewish settlements in the West Bank were consistent with international law. As a visible signal of its break with the past, the United States opened its Jerusalem embassy on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel.

Preconditions for a Palestinian State
The plan puts the Palestinian Authority (PA) on probation by establishing a set of conditions they must meet to become a state in name only, with Israel in control of its borders, air space, electromagnetic spectrum, foreign policy, and security. Its capitol would be on the outskirts of East Jerusalem, and it would not be established until four years into the execution of the plan. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the proposal gives Palestinians a chance to achieve "conditional, limited sovereignty". The PA must:

1. Disarm the governing authority of the Gaza Strip, Hamas, together with Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine and all Palestinians under their authority
2. Recognize Israel as a Jewish State
3. Refrain from any attempt to join any international organization without the consent of the State of Israel
4. Take no action, and dismiss all pending actions, against the State of Israel, the United States, and any of their citizens before the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and all other tribunals
5. Take no action against any Israeli or United States citizen before Interpol or any non-Israeli or United States legal system
6. Immediately terminate making "prisoner & martyr payments" (defined as salaries to the families of terrorists serving sentences in Israeli prisons, as well as to the families of deceased terrorists and develop humanitarian and welfare programs to provide essential services and support to Palestinians in need that are not based upon the commission of terrorist acts.

The Trump plan sets forth criteria the PA must meet before a Palestinian state is allowed to form. Whether Palestinians have met this criteria will be determined by Israel and the United States. If, at any time, Israel decides the Palestinians are not meeting the criteria, the Trump plan gives Israel the right to retake military control. The criteria are:

• The PA shall have implemented a governing system with a constitution or another system for establishing the rule of law that provides for freedom of the press, free and fair elections, respect for its citizens’ human rights, protections for religious freedom, uniform and fair enforcement of law and contractual rights, due process under law, and an independent judiciary with appropriate legal consequences and punishment established for violations of the law.
• The PA shall have established transparent, independent, and credit-worthy financial institutions capable of engaging in international market transactions in the same manner as financial institutions of western democracies, with appropriate governance to prevent corruption and ensure the proper use of such funds, and a legal system to protect investments and to address market-based commercial expectations. The State of Palestine should meet the independent objective criteria to join the International Monetary Fund.
• The PA shall have ended all programs, including school curricula and textbooks, that serve to incite or promote hatred or antagonism toward its neighbors, or which compensate or incentivize criminal or violent activity.
• The PA shall have achieved civilian and law enforcement control over all of its territory and demilitarized its population.
• The Palestinians shall have complied with all the other terms and conditions of this Vision.

Status of borders and territory

The plan recognizes Palestinian rights to roughly 70% of the West Bank (i.e., Judea and Samaria). The plan calls for land swaps, albeit not "1-to-1 land swaps," arguing that Palestinians would not receive 100% of pre-1967 territory, but it provides for territory that would be "reasonably comparable" to pre-1967 territory. The plan recognizes an Israeli right to the entire Jordan Valley, which it regards as militarily strategic.

The implementation of the plan is conditional, being subject to the "Gaza Criteria" and would only proceed if the governance of the Gaza Strip, at present administered by Hamas, were transferred back either to the PA or to another Palestinian entity that Israel approves of.  Hamas is required to commit itself to making peace with the State of Israel by adopting the Quartet Principles, which include unambiguously and explicitly recognizing the State of Israel, committing to nonviolence, and accepting previous agreements and obligations between the parties.  

Status of Jerusalem, a Palestinian Capitol, and Holy Sites

The plan affirms Israel’s right to the entirety of "undivided Jerusalem", recognizing it as Israel's capitol. The plan does accept a Palestinian capitol for a future State of Palestine to be located outside, and east and north of, the Separation Barrier. The plan puts the Haram al Sharif/Temple Mount, including the Al-Aqsa mosque, under Israeli sovereignty. The plan gives Israel the task of safeguarding the holy sites and guaranteeing freedom of worship. 

Status of refugees

There would be no right of return to Israel for Palestinian refugees from the wars of 1948 and 1967. Were the deal to be signed, the assistance of UNRWA to the Palestinian population would be terminated.

Economic Incentives

The plan proposes a $50 billion investment fund for 179 infrastructure and business projects, to be administered by a "multilateral development bank", with investments protected by accountability, transparency, anti-corruption, and conditionality safeguards The administration envisions the plan being funded mostly by Arab states and wealthy private investors. The plan advocates a free market, including greater protection of property rights and a "pro-growth tax structure."  

The entire Peace to Prosperity plan is available here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/peacetoprosperity/