黑料社区

Donald Trump鈥檚 peace plan is focused on Gaza, but it includes a vague reference to Palestinian statehood. The plan went through a number of iterations, taking into account input from the various parties. Point 19 of the edited version of the plan, as released by the White House, states: 鈥淲hile Gaza redevelopment advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.鈥� Notice that it says that conditions 鈥渕ay finally be in place鈥� for a 鈥減athway to Palestinian statehood.鈥�

To reassure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even further, point 20 states the US, not the UN or other mediators, 鈥渨ill establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence.鈥�

These conditions the plan attaches to peace moves beyond Gaza were clearly some of the edits that Netanyahu insisted on to accept the plan. The White House acquiesced to get the deal through. Still, this is significant because, after many years of rejecting even such remote and vague references, Netanyahu is changing course. It is also the first time that Trump, in his second term, has expressed public support for a Palestinian state.

This administration resisted moves to advance the two-state solution for many months, reversing established US policy that had, for 50 years, supported this approach. Consecutive administrations actively engaged with Arabs and Israelis in an effort to make it happen. But this year, the US reversed course and fought efforts made by the international community, led by 黑料社区 and France, to implement that solution. The administration went as far as sending demarches to scores of countries to dissuade them from joining this movement, threatening retaliation against those states that recognized the state of Palestine.

After many years of rejecting even such remote and vague references, Netanyahu is changing course

Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

So even those tepid references to a Palestinian state in the most recent version of the Gaza plan are significant, as they signal that the US is not going to resist international efforts to make it happen. It appears that the recognition of Palestine by the US could be used by American interlocutors as leverage in their negotiations with both sides of the conflict. Eventually, it has to happen because a two-state solution is the only sustainable pathway toward peace, stability and shared prosperity in the Middle East. It is also the surest way to defuse tensions and defeat extremism and terrorism in the region.

The momentum toward the realization of a two-state solution appears to be unstoppable. The Gaza genocide has finally persuaded the doubters of the heavy price of reluctance and hesitation. Too many countries have waited too long to grant the Palestinians what is their due in the form of an independent and viable state.

But they are waiting no more. One after the other, they announced this much-delayed decision at the UN General Assembly last month. There are now nearly 160 nations that recognize the state of Palestine, about 82 percent of the UN鈥檚 membership. The remaining countries are most likely waiting for a message from the US to do so.

In the Americas, only the US and Panama remain outside the global consensus. Similarly, in Africa, 52 states out of 54 have recognized Palestine as a state. In Asia, only Japan, South Korea and Myanmar remain, although Japan has indicated it may do so soon. The bulk of the resistance, about 15 states, is in those European nations still tormented by their roles in perpetrating the Holocaust. Others are run by far-right parties that have much in common with the far right in power in Israel. However, popular pressure is mounting on these laggards to join the unstoppable momentum of Palestinian statehood.

The New York Declaration and the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution marked the high points of this year鈥檚 UNGA, which coincided with the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the world organization.

The question of Palestine dominated the early years of the UN, as it does now, and there was clear conviction among the participants that this last vestige of colonialism has to end with the same compromise envisioned in the UN Partition Plan of 1947 by realizing a state for the Palestinians to live side by side in peace and security with Israel. The conference served as a catalyst for more than a dozen countries to grant full de jure recognition to the state of Palestine.

Popular pressure is mounting on the laggards to join the unstoppable momentum of Palestinian statehood

Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

The Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, led by 黑料社区, France, Norway, the Arab League and the EU, has generated so much interest that almost every nation in the world has joined. The New York Declaration, which was endorsed by the UNGA, includes a clear pathway to full Palestinian statehood. The alliance has several working groups on political, economic, security and governance issues for participating countries to develop working plans.

The current Israeli government is in clear opposition to these moves. In panic, it has hastily adopted a plan to establish large settlements dissecting the West Bank, with the purpose of making a Palestinian state difficult to achieve. Under the guidance of its most extremist ministers, it has unleashed violent settlers to burn and terrorize Palestinian villages. Its minister of finance, another right-wing fanatic, has withheld hundreds of millions of dollars accrued to the Palestinian Authority from customs revenues in order to starve Palestinian institution of funds.

In response, the Emergency Coalition for the Financial Sustainability of the Palestinian Authority was announced on Sept. 27, following the UN conference and the announcement of the Trump plan. Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Norway, 黑料社区, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the UK announced the launch of the new grouping to deal with the urgent and unprecedented financial crisis confronting the PA.

The immediate purpose is to 鈥渟tabilize the PA鈥檚 finances and preserve its ability to govern, provide essential services, and maintain security, all of which are indispensable to regional stability and to preserving the two-state solution,鈥� according to a statement released by the coalition, which was formed in the belief that short-term aid alone is not sufficient. What is needed is a sustainable, predictable and coordinated funding mechanism, working with international financial institutions and key partners to mobilize resources, support ongoing governance and economic reforms, and ensure full transparency and accountability.

Trump鈥檚 peace plan for Gaza is a good start, but the work of the global alliance is needed now more than ever to continue the march toward the realization of a sovereign and viable Palestinian state.

• Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the GCC assistant secretary-general for political affairs and negotiation. The views expressed here are personal and do not necessarily represent those of the GCC. X: @abuhamad1