The Trump Middle East peace plan is being panned by the Palestinian leadership before it is even announced. Reuters claims to have spoken to "three Arab officials briefed on the plan," who say if the plan is enacted, it will be the end of the Palestinian cause. One Arab official told Reuters, "What we're seeing from the plan is that it will blow up the Palestinians. The plan doesn't give justice to the Palestinians." Another senior Palestinian leader told Reuters, "The Palestinian cause is being liquidated--no Jerusalem (as capital), no right of return for refugees, no sovereign state. That is why this American project is dangerous." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has already rejected the plan.
The Palestinian side is refusing to participate in the "Peace for Prosperity" economic workshop in Bahrain. The workshop is the first part of the Administration's peace plan aimed at facilitating "discussions on an ambitious, achievable vision and framework for a prosperous future for the Palestinian people and the region, including enhancements to economic governance, development of human capital, and facilitation of rapid private-sector growth." The Arab officials told Reuters that If the politics keep failing, the reasoning seems to be, then try dangling tens of billions of dollars before the Palestinians and Israel's Arab neighbors--and do a deal that could unlock prosperity for the Palestinians and security for Israel.
Reuters reports that Palestinian officials briefed on the plan say
the deal envisages an expansion of Gaza into part of northern Egypt, under Egyptian control, leaving the Palestinians with a smaller share of the West Bank and some areas on the outskirts of Jerusalem and no control over their borders. Reuters says Western and Arab sources confirmed the outline of the plan but White House Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt said "rumors" about an expansion into Egypt's Sinai desert were false. He declined to give details of the political plan before it is released. Greenblatt said that the term "two-state solution" would not be used because it lacks detail and nuance, meaning "different things to different people." Some are hailing the plan as the fulfillment, at least in part, of Biblical prophecy marking the beginning of what is called the tribulation.
Daniel 9 foretells with extraordinary accuracy of the coming Messiah, his death, and his return. The Beast (antichrist) in verse 27, "shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (7 years): and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease..." This is the peace treaty that begins the seven years of Jacob's troubles, oft referred to as the tribulation. As Isaiah 28:18 says, "And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand." This is not that peace treaty. It is not between the Beast and Israel, nor does it allow temple sacrifices or meet other criteria found in the scriptures. It may be only a prophetic breeze of a type and shadow of things to come.
