What is Donald Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century’?
In January 202, Donald Trump’s administration released a proposal to solve the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The plan, which was led by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, aims to put an end to the most complicated conflict in the Middle East and worldwide using out-of-the-box thinking.
So, what is the deal of the century?
Donald Trump’s Deal of the Century Explained
The deal of the century, also known as the peace plan, was revealed in 2020 and suggested that the Palestinians would receive part of the Sinai territory in return for lands in Judea and Samaria. The plan aims to solve the condition in the Gaza Strip, as fears of an escalation raise concerns about the condition in the Middle East and might thwart any further peace agreement.
According to the original plan, the Palestinians will receive 720 square meters of Sinai land in order to establish a Palestinian state. If that happens, the Gaza Strip area will be tripled from 365 square meters today.
In return for the land in Sinai, the Palestinians will let go of 12% of Judea and Samaria, and therefore, the Israeli settlements with 70,000 civilians will be transferred to Israel’s authority. The population of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is estimated at 2.5 million in 2020. The new deal will allow the Palestinians in Gaza to build an international airport and port. In order to eliminate the Palestinian’s dependence on Israel, a 10-kilometer tunnel will connect the Palestinians to Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
However, on January 28th, Trump revealed all the details of the plan. You can find all the plan’s key points here. Below is the Deal of the Century map.
The rejection of the proposition
The Palestinian President Abu Mazen and the Palestinians in the Palestine Authority (unlike those in the Gaza Strip) will reject the proposition as it does not serve their interest. Abu Mazen has commented several times against the ‘deal of the century.’ As it seems now, Abu Mazen and the Palestinian Authority will be out of the negotiations, which can create an escalation in Judea and Samaria in the case of a ‘deal of the century’ agreement.
The Israeli elections will be held on April 9th, and Benjamin Netanyahu faces another obstacle domestically. If Netanyahu is elected again, he will face a dilemma as Trump’s ‘deal of the century’ will most likely be rejected by Netanyahu and his right coalition. The close relationship between Netanyahu and Trump might encounter its first disagreement.
The proposition was formed by Trump’s team, led by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and could be the last chance for the three unstable leaders. Trump faces accusations and fights for his political life, the same as Netanyahu – both of them are in a fragile position, but are considered to be strong leaders who make important decisions. The Palestinian Authority’s President, Mahmud Abbas, is at the end of his political career and will try to prevent a deal that neglects the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria.
