Skip to main content

Trump peace plan rollout at White House had Mar-A-Lago feel

Trump's peace plan, rolled out with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu but with no Palestinians present, would give the Palestinians no border with Jordan.
U.S. President Donald Trump departs after delivering joint remarks with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a new Middle East peace plan proposal in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RC29PE9YHG9K

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px 'Courier New'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 19.0px Cambria; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none; color: #1e497d; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #1e497d} span.s3 {font: 14.0px Calibri; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0433ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0433ff} span.s4 {font: 15.0px 'Courier New'; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0433ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0433ff} span.s5 {font: 16.0px 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0433ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0433ff} span.s6 {font: 16.0px 'Times New Roman'; font-kerning: none} span.s7 {font: 19.0px Cambria; font-kerning: none} WASHINGTON — The atmosphere felt more like a celebratory Mar-a-Lago gathering, bringing together really good friends, rather than the usual somber, staid event one might have otherwise expected at a Middle East peace plan rollout.

A military band in red dress uniforms played "Hail to the Chief" as US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered the White House East Room. Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, the GOP donors and pro-Israel philanthropists, were sitting in the front row, along with the US and Israeli officials and VIPs who had labored on the plan. There were of course members of Congress and other VIPs, including Trump impeachment attorney Alan Dershowitz, former Connecticut Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman, now head of the anti-nuclear deal United Against Nuclear Iran, and the ambassadors from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman. No Palestinian officials were present — the Trump administration ordered the Palestinian mission in Washington closed in 2018.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.