Middle East Monitor / January 27, 2020
Senior Israeli opposition leaders expressed optimism about the contents of the pending Trump administration peace plan yesterday, reported right-wing news outlet Arutz Sheva.
MK Yair Lapid, the number two in the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) party led by Benny Gantz, told Israeli army radio that the Trump administration’s peace plan is “in general a good outline for Israel. Anyone who is not an extreme leftist or rightist will understand it”.
Lapid’s colleague in Blue and White, former defence chief Moshe Ya’alon, also spoke about the reported details of the Trump plan, including Israeli annexation of huge swathes of the occupied West Bank.
“The outline has more political aspects than diplomatic,” Ya’alon said in an interview with Kan Bet.
“The outline is important and restores the eroded Israeli position. We do not have a partner for this outline, as there was no partner for more far-reaching proposals.”
Ya’alon added: “We do not see a chance for a permanent settlement with the Palestinians in the near future, but on the other hand we do not want a bi-national state. Trump’s outline fits with the broad [Israeli] national consensus and the positions of Blue and White.”
Gantz departed for Washington on Sunday, where he will meet with President Trump to discuss the peace plan. The Blue and White chair travelled with campaign consultant and former Air Force commander Amir Eshel, and other senior staff.
“We are going to Washington to meet President Trump. We will hear from him about the plan, we will exchange words with him, but we will leave inside the room what we discuss inside the room,” Gantz said.
