While many people had long concluded that President Donald Trump’s “deal of the century” had died, it came back to life Jan. 13 when voices were heard from Washington hinting at the possibility of its presentation on the eve of the March 2 election for the 23rd Knesset. The silence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in contrast to Blue and White leader Benny Gantz's complaint that such a presentation at that time would constitute meddling in Israel’s internal affairs, caused some to think this had been orchestrated between Netanyahu and Trump. Or perhaps there could be an American green light for the annexation of the Jordan Valley, perhaps a green light for the annexation of all the West Bank settlement lands — at any rate something that could show that only under Netanyahu could Israel get such delicacies from the American administration.

Since hints from the administration regarding an “impending presentation” of the plan have become almost a routine event, we can assume that this time, too, especially since there are only six weeks left until the election, the administration will postpone revealing its plan (assuming that indeed there is such a plan). But even if the American president decides to surprise us, it’s doubtful that it will be the magic pill that would give Netanyahu the majority he didn’t win in the first two rounds of elections in 2019. 

Seemingly, the outline of the plan is clear: Trump will offer a plan where there is no Palestinian state, there is no division of East Jerusalem, there is no vacating of settlements, no absorption of a single Palestinian refugee and no return to 1967 borders. The presentation of the plan would be followed by other, most obvious steps: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas blows up, rejects it out of hand in disgust, while Netanyahu gravely examines it and says it’s a valid basis for real negotiations; Trump thanks him for his willingness to compromise, and in light of the Palestinian determination not to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, he allows Netanyahu to annex whatever he wants. The public would be impressed by Netanyahu’s magic and would stream to the polls in order to give him four more years, despite the indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust against him that has landed at the desk of Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein. 

If, indeed, what Trump would do is a “cut and paste” of the Likud platform (which also hasn’t been revealed yet), Netanyahu could enjoy the support of his base at the expense of the right-wing parties after he had managed to unite them. All of the right-wing parties have united into one platform except for Otzmah Yehudit.