I’ve made a few fledgling efforts to write about President Donald Trump’s ‘peace plan’ for the Middle East. I’ve abandoned those for this. It’s simpler. If you are not sure what to make of the plan, start by looking at who supports the idea and who opposes it.
You can often cut through a lot of noise by focusing on who is on which side.
Jews Choose Trump sent out an email listing who supports and opposes this Middle East plan.
Those joining with Jews Choose Trump in welcoming this initiative include:
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar*, Egypt, the United Kingdom, Austria, Yemen, Australia, India, France, Italy. Also, the Republican Jewish Coalition, the Zionist Organization of America, AIPAC, the Conference of Presidents of American Jewish Organizations, EMET, B’nai Brith, American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress and Christians United for Israel.THOSE OPPOSING this PEACE PLAN include Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes, Ayanna Pressley. Also opposing the peace plan are J Street, New Israel Fund, Jewish Voice for Peace, IfNotNow, Hezbollah, Hamas, Fatah, the Palestinian Authority, the United Nations Secretary General, Peace Now, Women in Green, Jewish Policy Forum, Iran, Turkey.
You should (by all means) read the details (if you are that wonky) and decide for yourself. But these names will probably tell you everything you need to know if you are not the sort to walk off into the policy weeds.
The hate Israel crowd hates it. An interestingly diverse group supports or leans toward supporting it.
Personally, (still reading up but) I like the fact that it is aggressive and different from anything anyone has ever tried (if memory serves). But if we are honest, the Palestinians and their backers don’t want peace. It was never about a separate Palestinian State. It is a proxy war using Palestinian autonomy and victimhood as a vehicle for replacing the Jewish state with an Arab run Palestine.
If the only acceptable border is the Mediterranean there’s not a lot to talk about unless you can leverage enough stakeholders. Even then it is not a peace plan because the PA doesn’t want peace, they want victory.
So, this is little more than an academic exercise in determining who wants to end Israel and who does not.
And maybe that was always the point.
