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 lawmakers warn that “more military spending is absolutely necessary” to ensure Pentagon’s readiness
The US Congress has raised concerns about how inflation rates and cuts in main acquisition programmes could affect the US military.
-
US FY2024 funding package passes as China closes military capability gap
The Pentagon has been operating under temporary funding since October 2023, which has impacted its main acquisition and development programmes, increasing the capability gap between the US and China.
-
NATO outlines future challenges as Ukrainian funding from US stalls
In 2023, defence spending increased by an unprecedented 11% across European NATO countries and Canada. Since 2014, the group has spent an additional US$600 billion on defence.
-
US Pentagon to reduce investments in main acquisition programmes over FY2025
The DoD requested nearly US$850 billion to fund operations over the next fiscal year. Despite the amount being 1% higher than the FY2024 budget request, it has not covered the 3% inflation rate, which could impact the DoD’s main programmes in the medium and long term.
-
Haiti crisis forces Caribbean militaries to prepare for intervention
As gangs gain control of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s Caribbean neighbours have been preparing to intervene in the failed state, with the US and other partners waiting in the wings with equipment and financial support.