Haley: Trump’s Peace Plan Puts Israel’s Security First
Stand for Israel | June 13, 2019
The way that the Palestinians have been protesting the impending American “Deal of the Century” — without even having seen it — one wonders just what it will contain. But one person who has seen the peace plan assures those of us who stand for Israel that it has the Jewish state’s interests in mind. In an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom’s Boaz Bismuth, former Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley slammed the Palestinian Authority for not coming to the table, while also saying, “Israel should not be worried”:
Q: Later this month, the administration will roll out the economic component of its peace plan. Some in Israel are worried that the US would want something from Israel in return for recognizing Jerusalem as its capital and recognizing its sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Should Israel be worried about the plan?
“Israel should not be worried. Because through the Middle East plan, one of the main goals that [Senior Adviser to the President] Jared Kushner and [US Special Representative for International Negotiations] Jason Greenblatt focused on was to not hurt the national security interests of Israel. They understand the importance of security, they understand the importance of keeping Israel safe. I think everybody needs to go into it with an open mind, everybody should want a peace plan. Everybody should want to make way for a better situation in Israel and I think it can happen. So rather than pushing back against what we don’t know, I hope everybody would lean in on what the possibilities of what the peace plan could look like and think of a better life for everyone.”
Knowing the two sides and all the actors in the Middle East, does it have a chance?
“I am an optimist. It’s not going to be easy. Both sides won’t love it. And both sides won’t hate it. But both sides have to want peace. And if they do, they will be deciding the details. Not the US. And I think it is worth taking that chance. It is worth trying for. At this point, it is hard to see an opportunity in which Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is even going to come to the table, and I think that … it shows Abbas’ true colors. It shows the Arab community’s true colors, that they [the Arab states] don’t really care about the Palestinians, because if the Palestinians were that much of a priority, everybody would be holding Abbas’ hand and leading him to the table. Everybody and Abbas himself would want better.”
Are you familiar with some of the details of the peace plan?
“I have read the plan, yes.”
So you shared your opinion and advice on it?
“I read the plan and think it is very thoughtful, and very well done and it very much takes into account both sides’ vulnerabilities and both sides’ wants…”