Gelia/iStock(WASHINGTON) — With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection victory now secured, the Trump administration is preparing to roll out Jared Kushner’s “peace plan” as early as this month, sources familiar with the plan tell ABC News.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the plan, which Kushner and a small “peace team” have been quietly working on for months. The text itself remains a closely guarded secret — even within the White House — and has only been seen in its entirety by four people within the administration, the sources said.
Its text has not even been shared with any allies, including the Israeli government, according to the U.S. officials.
Those officials familiar with the peace plan said it aims to bring a non-traditional approach to addressing the seemingly intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict by including a robust economic development package for the Palestinian people and seeks to address the political elements of the conflict.
Kushner and his team traveled to several Arab countries in February to brief diplomats on the economic aspects of the peace plan. An official said some of the broad concepts of the economic aspects of the plan were warmly received, in principle, during that trip.
Though the plan’s release could come this month, sources cautioned that a release date has not been finalized and that the administration is weighing a variety of factors. Potential causes for delay could include the upcoming holidays of Passover and Ramadan.
Early on in his presidency, Trump tasked his son-in-law with working on the Israeli-Palestinian issue as one of his high-profile assignments in the White House. In describing his hopes of achieving peace, Trump has referred to a prospect as “the ultimate deal.”
Trump expressed optimism Wednesday for peace plan’s prospects now that Netanyahu has been reelected.
“The fact that Bibi won, I think we’ll see some pretty good action in terms of peace,” Trump said at the White House when asked by a reporter if Netanyahu’s victory meant he would soon release the administration’s peace plan.
Two weeks ago, the president received Netanyahu at the White House in an effort to shore up support for his friend in the final stretch of a tough reelection bid.
“Everybody said you can’t have peace in the Middle East with Israel and the Palestinians,” Trump said Wednesday. “I think we have a chance. And I think we have, now, a better chance with Bibi having won.”
Netanyahu has said he welcomes the opportunity to review the plan.
“I look forward to receiving the plan, and we will look at it once it’s presented,” Netanyahu said during a meeting attended by Vice President Mike Pence and Kushner in Poland in February. “I have to say that I know the Trump administration seeks to ensure the security of Israel for generations.”
The White House declined to comment when asked for any details of the plan.
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