Trump’s New Deal of the Century?

This announcement struck Israel’s closest neighbors with the impact of the 2,000-pound bombs that Trump supplied to Israel on the same day. At press time, the foreign ministries of Egypt and Jordan issued statements rejecting Trump’s idea. This week, pay close attention to whether newly confirmed members of Trump’s cabinet or prominent foreign policy advisors convey insights that offer more clarity on his foreign policy.

Regardless, now that the cat is out of the bag, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu should prioritize this issue during his meeting with Trump in Washington, possibly as soon as next week. If Bibi is at his best, he should suggest that Trump expand his idea to include Judea and Samaria, allowing Israel to ensure real security for the nearly 530,000 Jews living there and dismantle the terrorist cells and infrastructure that the Palestinian Authority has built since 1994 under the misguided and reckless Oslo Accords.

Since Israel captured Judea, Samaria, and Gaza during the 1967 Six Day War, the international community has consistently and unfairly pressured Israel to establish a Palestinian state for the Arab population that came under its control. No one ever pressured Jordan or Egypt to do the same during their governance of those territories from 1948 to 1967. Trump has ambitious plans for a new, more secure, and prosperous Middle East. If part of that involves encouraging Israel’s Arab neighbors to take responsibility for the situation they helped create through their hostility toward Israel, this could mark a game-changing moment.

The first Trump administration, led by Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, briefly considered the option of “Jordan is Palestine” but abandoned it following strong objections from Jordan and a lack of support from the broader Arab world. Jordan’s Hashemite kingdom already hosts a significant Palestinian majority. An additional influx of Palestinians could threaten King Abdullah’s throne and further destabilize the region.