As guests gathered around Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday, he shared a compelling new detail about his talks with the Trump administration: it had proposed to him a Palestinian confederation with Jordan.
In the 1980s, Jordan’s King Hussein and Yasser Arafat, then leader of the Palestinians, had sat down to agree the workings of a similar arrangement. That deal broke down over fears that any such deal would leave the Palestinians without independence and any confederation talk died off after the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993. Now, the proposal put forward by Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt is just as dead upon arrival.
Details of what they believe any Jordanian-Palestinian confederation would look like have not emerged. "We will not discuss any specific ideas or private conversations that may or may not have been had with leaders in the region," Mr Greenblatt told The National.
"Over the past 19 months we have probed all relevant parties about many ideas and possibilities. The plan, when released, will reflect ideas that we think are realistic, fair and implementable that will enhance the lives of the Israeli and Palestinian people,” he continued.
But the confederation offer, as revealed by the Palestinian leader himself, is but another attempt by Mr Trump’s team to plunge a stake into the heart of Palestinian self-determination and an end to the occupation.
While Mr Trump’s two advisers tasked with forging the “ultimate deal” have been working behind the scenes, he has moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in the face of Arab protests, cut all funding to the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and allowed illegal Israeli settlement building to continue unabated.
So the idea of a confederation as advocated by the Israeli far-right is a poisoned chalice that the Palestinians, Jordan and Arab states would never accept.
Such a plan is viewed in Ramallah, Amman and the wider Arab world as another branch of the wider effort to bypass Palestinian dreams of statehood, East Jerusalem as the capital of any future state and the right of return, the three core tenets of the Palestinian issue.
"For a Zionist ideologue like Greenblatt or Kushner, their aim is to bury the Palestinian identity and to keep the whole of the West Bank under Israeli sovereignty," a Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, tells The National.
Emerging details of the planned US peace proposal, with heavy Israeli input, are inconceivable for all Palestinians – those in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem – as well as the Jordanians and the wider international community, where a negotiated two-state solution with Jerusalem as the capital of both peoples remains the consensus.
According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, any far-fetched US confederation plan would likely propose that the Palestinian Authority come under Jordanian rule, Jordanian troops protecting the borders of that confederation, and Gaza being swallowed by Egypt. Israel's illegal settlement enterprise would remain, with Israel taking total security and civil control of those outposts, and the Palestinians again left without the status of a state.
“When they talk of confederation it is the idea of Jordan is Palestine, and the denial of Palestinian rights,” the official says, referring to the Israeli far-right advocacy for a confederation. “It is not serious.”
For Jordanians, they fear that any confederation would see it become an alternative Palestinian homeland that could rock the balance of Palestinian and Jordanian tribes in the country, threatening one of the Middle East’s weakest economies. Jordanians of Palestinian origin reject it outright as it would end their status as refugees.
“It should be between two states, not a state and a stateless people,” says Hassan Barari, a Jordanian political analyst and author, adding that Israel should also recognise that state. “From a Jordanian perspective, it’s a non-starter.”
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The Jordanian government immediately shot down the idea, saying it was “not open for discussion” and that “there is no alternative to the two-state solution”. Those in Jordan believe that Israeli and American intentions are underhanded, using such a proposal to sideline Palestinian statehood attempts and to pass the burden on to their country.
“This is very problematic because it is not about empowering the Palestinians to have their own state,” says Mr Barari. “It is a way of deception.”
Mr Abbas, long maligned by the Palestinian street for not appearing to serve its best interests, appeared to strategically implode the offer without refusing it outright. He said he responded to the Trump administration’s proposal by saying he would be open to confederacy, but only if Israel is part of that confederation in a tripartite arrangement. It is a suggestion that he knows Israel would never accept.
Having the PA join a confederation with Jordan “will give the Israelis the legitimacy to expand at the expense of the Palestinians” in the West Bank, the territory the Palestinians seek for a state and where more than 400,000 Jewish settlers live in illegal outposts, says Barari.
So for the Palestinians, mired in an ongoing and relentless occupation now supported by Washington more than ever before, it all comes down to one simple demand: give us our nation state.
“Once you have a Palestinian state, then you can discuss whether you have a confederation or not,” the Palestinian official says, putting Ramallah’s own stake through the heart of the Kushner-Greenblatt offer.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 3
Sadio Man 28'
Andrew Robertson 34'
Diogo Jota 88'
Arsenal 1
Lacazette 25'
Man of the match
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')
Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Floward%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdulaziz%20Al%20Loughani%20and%20Mohamed%20Al%20Arifi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EE-commerce%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbout%20%24200%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAljazira%20Capital%2C%20Rainwater%20Partners%2C%20STV%20and%20Impact46%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C200%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto
Price: From Dh39,500
Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Four-speed auto
Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning.
Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector.
Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.
Medicus AI
Started: 2016
Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh
Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai
Sector: Health Tech
Staff: 119
Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)
Read more from Kareem Shaheen
if you go
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
