Trump's Middle East Peace Plan: 'NO' from Beyond Arab States to the Wider Islamic World

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The previously cautious Islamic bloc appears to be showing support for the Palestinian Authority.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the largest international organization in the Islamic world, is scheduled to meet on the 3rd (local time) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the Middle East peace plan. Foreign ministers from Arab countries excluding Iran, as well as Islamic countries such as Malaysia, are expected to attend.

Initially, Arab countries including Saudi Arabia and Egypt took a cautious stance considering their relations with the United States. However, it is interpreted that they have decided to support Palestine in this discussion, taking public opinion into account.

Saifuddin Abdullah, Malaysia's Foreign Minister, announced his attendance at the meeting and stated, regarding the Palestine-Israel conflict, that "the two-state solution is the only solution," and explained, "Our participation in this OIC meeting expresses our unwavering support for the Palestinian cause." The two-state solution advocated by Palestine includes plans to designate East Jerusalem as the future capital of Palestine. In contrast, President Trump's Middle East peace plan differs in that it recognizes the entire Jerusalem as Israeli territory.

On the 1st, Arab countries also held a meeting of the Arab League (AL) and expressed opposition to the Middle East peace plan. After the meeting, Arab foreign ministers criticized the plan, saying, "This peace plan is a negotiation proposal excessively tilted toward Israel," and warned that "it could disrupt Middle East peace."

President Trump announced the Middle East peace plan on the 28th of last month together with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Although President Trump called it the "deal of the century," Palestine and others have declared their refusal to negotiate the peace plan.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority, declared immediately after the AL meeting that he would sever all relations with both the United States and Israel. The Palestinian Authority had previously exchanged information with the United States regarding Islamic extremist groups and maintained cooperative relations with Israel on security and other matters. Abbas is now cutting all the threads of dialogue that had been maintained so far.

The United States maintains its position to uphold the Middle East peace plan. Jared Kushner, Senior Advisor to the White House, said in an interview with CNN on the 2nd, "What we want from them (the Palestinian Authority) is at least to read this Middle East peace plan," adding, "It is a plan with concrete details." Kushner mentioned, "They rejected it even before the peace plan was released." He continued, "They declared a day of rage and took to the streets in protest," and criticized, "People preparing to build a country do not behave like this."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.