The White House will release its long-awaited Middle East peace plan ahead of the Tuesday visit next week of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival for power, according to President Trump.
Traveling to Florida aboard Air Force One, Trump told reporters: “I’d love to be able to do that deal. They say that’s the hardest of all deals. I love doing deals.”
He said he was confident that the plan would succeed where others had failed and that he had spoken to Palestinian leaders.
“We’ve spoken to them briefly, but we will speak to them in a period of time,” he added.
The United States looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister @Netanyahu & Blue & White Chairman @Gantzbe to the @WhiteHouse next week. Reports about details and timing of our closely-held peace plan are purely speculative.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2020
Earlier in the day, he said he was looking forward to welcoming Netanyahu and Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz to the White House next week.
Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, oversaw drafting of the plan, which was finished last year but shelved amid political turmoil in Israel. Officials eventually decided to release it before March 2, when the country holds its third general election in quick succession.
The invitation to visit the White House was delivered by Vice President Mike Pence during a visit to Israel.
“I think that the president is seeking to give Israel the peace and security it deserves,” said Netanyahu, adding he would accept the invitation.
The White House published economic portions of the plan last year. It set out proposals for huge international investment in the Palestinian territories.
However, Palestinian leaders are skeptical that the Trump White House can deliver fair proposals. They said relocating the U.S. Embassy and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel prejudge one of the thorniest issues: the sovereignty of a city claimed by both sides in the dispute.
