Al-Quds Minister: “We Will Not Accept” Palestinian State in “Deal of the Century”

By Staff, Agencies

The so-called Minister of occupied al-Quds Rafi Peretz said Friday that he would oppose parts of the Trump administration’s “Deal of the century” amid a growing chorus of right-wing opposition to the Palestinian state outlined in the plan.

Peretz’s statement came a day after a senior member of “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, said that the “Israeli” regime has not fully adopted the plan, indicating that Tel Aviv could be planning to accept only the parts that favor the “Israeli” entity.

The US has indicated that its recognition for unilateral annexation in the occupied West Bank is contingent on the “Israeli” entity working within the framework of the plan. The Palestinians have rejected the plan outright.

Peretz, who heads the right-wing Jewish Home faction, in a Facebook post said he would not accept the establishment of a Palestinian state, which is included in the outline.

“We’re situated at a historic crossroads, the deal of the century holds great opportunity –the opportunity to apply our sovereignty in Judea and Samaria,” Peretz wrote, referring to the West Bank.

“President Trump is a true friend of the ‘State of Israel’ and I’m sure that his intentions were for benefiting ‘Israel’. This has been proven in his recognition of the Golan, and in Jerusalem [al-Quds] transferring the US embassy to the capital,” Peretz wrote.

“But there are sections of the plan that we will not accept. We will not accept the establishment of a Palestinian state in my homeland. I will oppose any mention of a Palestinian state in legislation to come,” he said, adding that he would not accept a freeze on building in settlements.

“This is a golden opportunity that we must take advantage of but we must not make decisions that will cause long-term damage to the ‘State of Israel’ and our values,” he said. “We will oppose steps that will advance the establishment of an additional state between the Jordan and the sea.”

Peretz’s coalition agreement with Netanyahu stipulates that he needs to support any of the prime minister’s positions, either directly or indirectly, on the application of sovereignty.

Peretz bolted from his right-wing allies in the Yamina alliance to join Netanyahu’s governing coalition last month.

Steinitz on Thursday told Army Radio, “We didn’t announce that we’re adopting the Trump plan, but rather parts of it, including the part that lets us extend ‘Israeli’ law to settlements and the Jordan Valley.”

“This is the best ‘peace plan’ for us that the United States has ever put on the table,” he said in response to growing complaints on the right against the founding of a Palestinian state.

“For us to say that we won’t take sovereignty because it doesn’t give us everything is foolishness. To say that Trump is no friend of ‘Israel’ is doubly foolish. It is very unwise and could lead to the squandering of a historic opportunity,” Steinitz said.

“Of course, as long as the Palestinians don’t accept the plan and won’t even negotiate on its basis, we are definitely not endorsing it ahead of time – not all of its parts,” Steinitz said.