President Donald Trump of the United States has said he was not elected to do small things.
Trump, who stated this in a live broadcast on Tuesday at the White House while announcing the US peace plan for the Middle East region, said the plan is a “precise, tactical solution to make Israelis, Palestinians and people the region safer and much more prosperous” adding that his administration was prepared to work with all parties on the vision.
Trump stressed the need for peace in the Middle East, saying “government throughout the region are recognising that terrorism and Islamic extremism are everyone’s common enemy. Peace transcends politics by any measure” adding that “it is time for this sad chapter in history to end”.
He added, “On my first step overseas, I visited the holy land of Israel and I was deeply moved and amazed by what the country had achieved in the face of overwhelming threats. Israel is a light unto the world. And we will never ever again repeat history’s darkest hour.
“Forging peace between Israelis and Palestinians may be the most difficult challenge of all. All prior administrations have tried and bitterly failed but I was not elected to do small things or shy away from big problems.”
Trump also said his vision for peace this time around is fundamentally different from past proposals.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on his part, hailed the US peace plan for the Middle East, describing it as a “realistic path to a durable peace” that assures Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley.
“This is a historic day,” Netanyahu said, speaking alongside President Donald Trump who presented the plan at a White House ceremony.
“Too many plans tried to pressure Israel to withdraw from vital territory like the Jordan Valley. But you, Mr President, you recognized that Israel must have sovereignty in the Jordan Valley and other strategic areas of Judea and Samaria.”
Trump’s proposal, Netanyahu said, would also involve the United States recognizing settlements as part of Israel.
Ambassadors for the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman were in the audience but Palestinian representatives, who have denounced the plan, stayed away.
However, Trump announced that the US would commit $50bn in the new Palestine state, assuring that “one million Palestinian jobs will be created” and “no Palestine shall be uprooted from their homes”.
“The Palestinian people deserve far better lives; they deserve a chance to achieve their extraordinary potential. The Palestinians have been trapped in the circle of terrorism, violence and extreme poverty.”
