Trump and Netanyahu portray themselves as tending to business while enemies circle

“I was not elected to do small things or shy away from big problems,” said Trump to cheers and applause as he stood beside Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

He said it was a “win-win opportunity for both sides,” but only one side was present, raising a significant question about whether Trump has found a solution that eluded generations of previous leaders.

“There are some good things in this, but without any Palestinian buy-in, then it is difficult to see where this goes. And you do rather wonder at the timing of it all,” said a Western diplomat who covers the Middle East, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The timing offered a split-screen moment for Trump allies, who were quick to compare the president’s work to the obstructionism of congressional Democrats.

Rep. Mark Meadows, a Republican from North Carolina and one of the president’s leading supporters in the House, wrote on Twitter: “While Washington Democrats careen toward an unsuccessful impeachment attempt … the President is keeping his promise to strengthen our relationship with Israel and work for peace in the Middle East region.”

[Opinion: Trump’s surprisingly reasonable Israeli-Palestinian peace deal]

The timing of the launch offered respite for both leaders, who each face intense domestic pressure. For Trump, the event started an hour before his lawyers began to wrap up their defense at his impeachment trial in the Senate.

And for Netanyahu, it came hours after he had been charged with fraud, bribery, and breach of trust in three corruption cases. He denies any wrongdoing but withdrew an earlier request for parliamentary immunity, which he was almost certain to lose, leaving him to become the first sitting prime minister to face trial in the country’s history.

For a man facing a difficult election on March 2, it was a chance to declare a victory.

“This decision will protect Israel’s security, ensure Israel’s national interest, and leave open the possibility of a political settlement with the Palestinians in the coming years,” said Netanyahu.

Although the ambassadors from Oman, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates were present in the East Room, diplomats from Egypt and Jordan, which both have peace treaties with Israel and will be key to ensuring any deal can be made to work, were missing.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was as brutal as he was brief in his response, saying: “After the nonsense that we heard today, we say a thousand noes to the deal of the century.”

Jordan meanwhile warned against any Israeli “annexation of Palestinian lands” and reaffirmed its commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state along the 1967 lines, which would include all the West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

And the Turkish government also condemned the proposals. “This plan is an annexation plan that is aimed at killing the two-state solution and stealing Palestinian lands,” it said.

But for now, the announcement itself is a win for the president’s supporters as White House talking points reverberated around social media.

“While Democrats continue to pursue this baseless impeachment sham, President @realDonaldTrump is delivering for the American people,” said a tweet sent by the Republican National Committee. “This week’s achievements include: introducing a Middle East Peace Plan, hosting 2 rallies, and signing the USMCA!”