Bibi: Israel Will Hear US Peace Plan in Fair, Open Manner

Stand for Israel  |  June 24, 2019

While Israel prepares to give the upcoming American proposal for peace a fair shake, the Palestinians have already dismissed it without even listening. Israel Hayom reports that as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu awaits the plan, he says, “I cannot understand how the Palestinians, before they even heard the plan, rejuect it outright”:

Israel will give US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan fair and open consideration, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, while Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas rejected the proposal. The two leaders were commenting, separately, about Trump’s plan for the first time since details of its initial, economic, phase were revealed on Saturday.

Trump’s team is formally unveiling the economic portion of the plan this week at a workshop in Bahrain, which it hopes will stimulate the Palestinian and regional economy…

“We’ll hear the American proposal, hear it fairly and with openness. And I cannot understand how the Palestinians, before they even heard the plan, reject it outright,” Netanyahu said while touring the area with visiting US National Security Adviser John Bolton.

“Under any peace agreement our position will be that Israel’s presence should continue here, for Israel’s security and for the security of all,” Netanyahu said.

Abbas said that solely economic solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were a non-starter.

“Money is important. The economy is important. But politics are more important. The political solution is more important,” Abbas told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

“We welcome all those who wish to help us, whether it be in Manama or anywhere else. But for now, we reject the deal of the century,” he said…