Mideast peace proposal nearly ready, says US
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on 22 February that a proposal for a long awaited peace plan between Israelis and Palestinians is near completion.
‘I think they're finishing it up,’ Nikki Haley said, when asked about formulations of a Middle East peace proposal during an appearance at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.
The news came a day after US President Donald Trump's two top envoys on the Middle East, son-in-law Jared Kushner and adviser Jason Greenblatt, met with UN Security Council ambassadors and asked for their support of the upcoming peace plan.
Without offering specifics of when a proposal might be unveiled, Haley said: ‘They're still going back and forth. The plan won't be loved by either side. And it won't be hated by either side. But it's a template to start talking.’
The revelations came after questioning by the academic institute's chief David Axelrod – a former senior advisor to Trump's predecessor Barack Obama – about the US's controversial decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Haley said: ‘Congress had overwhelmingly voted to name Jerusalem the capital of Israel and to put our embassy in the capital.’
She said multiple presidents had struggled with a ‘fear doctrine that the sky was going to fall’ if such a declaration was made.
Haley added: ‘The sky is still up there. And now what we have is a time where the negotiations can start between Israelis and Palestinians.’
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas on 21 February called for an international conference to be held by mid-2018 to launch a wider peace process in which the US would not have the central mediating role.
More from Defence Notes
-
![US Africa Command targets logistic solutions]()
US Africa Command targets logistic solutions
AFRICOM is seeking IT systems and supply chain management solutions to enhance interoperability and standardise logistical processes in its area of responsibility.
-
![Rheinmetall sales up by almost a quarter on wave of German spending]()
Rheinmetall sales up by almost a quarter on wave of German spending
Germany’s Rheinmetall released its 1H 2025 results on 7 August, continuing the strong growth of recent years. A particular highlight of the result’s presentation was the Skyranger air defence system for which the company is predicting sales of about US$8.2 billion from the German Government before the end of the year.
-
![Defence companies continue to ride procurement wave]()
Defence companies continue to ride procurement wave
Vehicle and technology companies are reporting substantial growth compared to the first half of 2024. Italy’s Fincantieri saw revenues jump 24% for the first half of the year compared to 2024 and Thales up 6.8% for the same period. General Dynamics reported second quarter revenue growth of 8.9% for the second quarter compared to last year and MilDef reported organic order intake growth of 58%.
-
![Singapore plots a way forward with new technology and formation reform]()
Singapore plots a way forward with new technology and formation reform
Singapore spends about 3.5% of GDP on defence and the section’s budget sits on high on the proportion of national spending. The country is investing in uncrewed technology, medium- and long-range fires and new submarines and ships with the hunt also on for new maritime patrol aircraft.
-
![World Defense Show promises bigger and better event for 2026]()
World Defense Show promises bigger and better event for 2026
At this year's IDEF in Istanbul, Shephard spoke to World Defense Show (WDS) CEO Andrew Pearcey about his event's strategic role in Saudi Arabia, its themes and new features for 2026 and how it has grown since its launch in 2022.
