U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during campaign rally
The “Deal of the Century”, a backchannel U.S. Middle East peace plan, could be delayed until after November elections in the U.S., according to reports in the Israeli media.
On Friday, Israel HaYom, an Israeli daily, quoted an unnamed source “close to the White House” as saying the deal would likely not be formally unveiled for “several more months” due to the upcoming congressional polls.
A wide-ranging Middle East peace plan championed by U.S. President Donald Trump, few details of the so-called “Deal of the Century” have been made public.
Hassan Shukah, a Palestinian prisoner in solitary confinement in Israel’s Ramleh Prison, entered his 67th day on hunger strike on Friday.According to the Palestinian Prisoners Society, Shukah -- who is waging a hunger strike to protest his ongoing placement in what Israel calls “administrative detention” -- was recently taken to Israel’s Kapalan medical center following an abrupt deterioration of his health.Shukah, 30, was first placed in administrative detention in 2017. After waging a 35-day hunger strike, he reached an agreement with the Israeli authorities to be released in June of this year.However, after being placed in administrative detention again following the expiry of his prison term, he launched a second hunger strike, which remains ongoing until now.Israel’s longstanding policy of administrative detention allows it to jail suspects -- without trial or charge -- for renewable periods of up to three months.According to Palestinian figures, over 6,400 Palestinians are currently in Israeli custody, some 550 of whom have been placed in administrative detention.155 Palestine protesters killed by Israel since Mar. 30US Palestine refugee bill could backfire: diplomatOver 3,900 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa complex in July
Palestinian prisoner enters 67th day on hunger strike
According to the source quoted by Israel HaYom, the Trump administration believes that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be “unable to commit himself to the terms of the deal” in the period before the election.
The deal, the same source added, will call for several “concessions” by Israel, which could, he said, have a negative impact on the electoral prospects of Republican candidates in the Nov. 6 polls.
What’s more, the source asserted, Netanyahu will likely be unable to endorse certain aspects of the plan -- such as recognition of Jerusalem’s Abu Dis district as capital of a future Palestinian state -- because his political rivals in Israel would be able to use this against him.
Saleh al-Arouri, deputy leader of Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, returned to Gaza Thursday after eight years of exile.According to a press release from the administration of the Rafah Border Crossing, an Arouri-led delegation including leading group members Mousa Abu Marzouk, Izzat al-Rishq and Hussam Badran crossed the border into the Gaza Strip.The delegation was welcomed by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and members of the group’s political bureau.Arouri has been in exile since 2010.His return to Gaza has been interpreted in Israeli and Palestinian media as "relevant to negotiations through third parties for a long-term agreement between Hamas and Israel".155 Palestine protesters killed by Israel since Mar. 30Israel's Haaretz newspaper wrote that the Tel Aviv administration was "hopeful" about the talks.The Yediot Ahronot newspaper noted that Israel has given assurances through Egypt that Tel Aviv, which has allowed Arouri’s entry into Gaza, would not target him with any attack.Local media also reported that the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, has played an important role in the alleged Egypt-backed Hamas-Israeli talks.Hamas delegation visits EgyptOn Monday, a Hamas delegation led by Arouri arrived in Cairo to discuss the latest developments in the Palestinian political arena with Egyptian officials.In a statement, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said it included Marzouk, Rishq and Badran as well as Khalil al-Hayya and Rawhi Mushtaha.Israel denies exit to hundreds of Gazans in 2018Earlier Monday, al-Hayya and Mushtaha set out from the blockaded Gaza Strip for the Egyptian capital via the Rafah Border Crossing.According to sources close to Hamas, the delegation has been in intensive negotiations with Egyptian intelligence in order to establish Palestinian national unity and a long-term ceasefire agreement between Israel and the resistance organizations in Gaza.Gaza refugees protest UNRWA's downsizing measuresMeanwhile, the cancelation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned visit to Colombia is believed to be related to the "developments in Gaza”, according to Israeli media, which referred to speculation that he needs to be available due to the possibility that there might be a breakthrough in talks between the Tel Aviv administration and Palestinian sides.The Haaretz newspaper reported that Israel’s Security Cabinet is expected to meet Sunday to discuss a possible deal with Hamas.
Top Hamas leader returns to Gaza
“Arab sources” quoted by the same newspaper, meanwhile, said that Arab states involved in the deal -- namely, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia -- also preferred to unveil the deal’s terms following the U.S. midterm elections.
Palestinian leaders, for their part, have repeatedly voiced their rejection of the deal, which, they say, fails to meet minimum Palestinian demands.