Trump unveils Middle East peace plan; Jerusalem to be undivided capital
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Trump while unveiling the Middle East peace plan said he saddened by the plight of the Palestinians
US President Donald Trump while unveiling the Middle East peace plan said Israel was taking "a big step towards peace".
The US president added he was saddened by the plight of the Palestinians.
Trump with Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu by his side declared the plan made the region safer and more prosperous.
"Palestinians deserve a far better life," the US president asserted. "Today, Israel has taken a giant step toward peace," he said.
"Yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu informed me that he is willing to endorse the vision as the basis for direct negotiations - and, I will say, (opposition leader Benny Gantz) also endorsed and very strongly - with the Palestinians a historic breakthrough," Trump asserted.
The US president said the Mideast plan was 80 pages long and the "most detailed" ever.
"I was not elected to do small things," the US president declared. "This is the last opportunity the Palestinians will ever have," Trump said.
"Jerusalem will remain Israel's undivided capital," Trump said while expanding on the plan, adding, "Mideast plan proposes a realistic two-state solution." The president added that he had written to Palestinian leader Abbas on the plan.
"No Palestinians will be uprooted," Trump insisted. The US president said the Palestinians will have their capital in east Jerusalem.
While presenting the plan, the US president proposed a four-year freeze of Israeli development in the area eyed for the Palestinian state.
Israel PM Netanyahu thanked Trump for the plan and said it was a "historic day". "The US Middle East plan is a great plan for Israel and peace."
"US to recognise settlements as part of Israel," Netanyahu said.
"US and Israel are scripting history together," he said.