By the Gazette Editorial Board Jared Kushner, senior adviser to Donald Trump, has proclaimed the news that Washington's Middle East peace plan would be ready very soon. In normal circumstances that would have been a breakthrough. But given the latest developments in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in light of the Trump administration's pro-Israel stands, Kushner's statement is not promising. Kushner, who has paid a recent visit to the region, to discuss what he claims to be a peace plan, made a provocative statement in an interview with the Palestinian newspaper, Al Quds, in which he said that the plan would be released with or without Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He then elaborated. If Abbas were not willing to negotiate, he said,"we will likely air the plan publicly." How could any peace plan, which is supposed to take into consideration the views and demands of two conflicting parties, be hammered out without the consent of one of the two? Abbas has declined to meet any US official since Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Abbas then is not co-operating with Mr Kushner in principle, because Trump has provided concrete evidence of his bias to Israel. The Palestinian President had clearly said, in response to the unprecedented decision on Jerusalem, that the US was no longer fit to play the role of peace broker. Kushner has addressed the Palestinians, telling them not to let their "leadership reject a plan they haven't even seen."And he said that the world had moved forward since the conflict began decades ago while the Palestinians have been left behind. That is true. It has, however, been for reasons related to Israel's procrastination and evasive stand regarding a two-state solution, the unwavering US support for Israel and the outbreak of regional conflicts in which international forces had a role in egging on. There is no question that Kushner's plan carries a peculiar US vision of the future of peace in the Middle East that matches Trump's understanding of business deals. The picture is vague so far. But according to unofficial reports Kushner has an offer to make to the Palestinian's by means of Gulf State funding to improve conditions in Gaza. This explains the comments of Saeb Erekat who said: "This is an attempt to push forward a plan that consolidates Israel's colonial control over Palestinian land and lives while telling the Palestinian people that money will compensate for our inalienable rights." The 2002 Arab initiative which proposed the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, having East Jerusalem as its capital, is still valid and should serve as a base to build on. But President Trump has made decisions that deprive the initiative of its core principles. Mr Kushner said that "To make a deal, both sides will have to take a leap and meet somewhere between their stated positions."How will Israel meet halfway when it has already taken long strides to usurp a great deal of the Palestinians' rights?
