BICOM

The US peace plan will create a Palestinian state in 90 per cent of the West Bank and a capital in parts of East Jerusalem, according to Israeli media reports.

Israel’s Channel 13 News claimed that US President Donald Trump’s proposed deal will include a Palestinian state in 85-90 per cent of the West Bank and divide Jerusalem to allow for an Israeli capital in West Jerusalem, and a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem. The Holy Basin, which includes the Old City and holy places, will remain under Israeli sovereignty. The plan reportedly divides settlements into three groups: settlement blocks where most settlers live will become part of Israel; isolated settlements, which will not be evacuated but will not be expanded either; and outposts that are illegal according to Israeli law which will be removed.

The source for the report came from a briefing given by a senior US official who said they expected the Palestinians to reject the deal out of hand.

The White House has dismissed the report and Jason Greenblatt, the US Special Representative for International Organisations, said: “[it] is not accurate. Speculation about the content of the plan is not helpful. Very few people on the planet know what is in it”.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office declined to comment but the Palestinian Authority said: “Any peace plan that does not include an independent state – with all of East Jerusalem as its capital – on the 1967 borders, is destined to fail.”

Nafatali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, from the New Right Party, said of the report: “The US is Israel’s greatest friend, and President Trump is a genuine friend. The New Right will not join a government that divides Jerusalem and establishes a Palestinian state.”

The Trump peace plan was expected to be presented in late 2018 but has been postponed until after the Israeli elections in April.