'US no honest broker in Israeli-Palestinian peace process'

US Vice President Mike Pence has visited Tel Aviv as part of his Middle East tour, once again heating up the controversy over President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Israel. Pence aroused anger among Palestinians by stating that the White House would advance plans to move the US embassy to al-Quds. Press TV has talked to Richard Becker, member of the ANSWER Coalition, as well as Geoffrey Alderman, historian and political commentator, to get their opinions on the issue.

Richard Becker believes that Washington’s policy shift was a “great insult” to Palestinian people, which proved that the United States is not an “honest broker” in the so-called peace process.

Reaffirming Washington’s unflinching support for the Tel Aviv regime, Pence also called for the resumption of the so-called peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis.

“Pence… [US President Donald] Trump… are saying we are taking the issue of Jerusalem off the table… What they are doing is making it even more a focal point of struggle. Because the Palestinians are not going to give up. They do not accept the idea that because Washington, because Trump or Christian Zionists like Pence, declare that Jerusalem al-Quds is the eternal capital of the state of Israel, that the Palestinians will possibly accept that. They won’t,” he said.  

On December 6, 2017, Trump announced that Washington would recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Israel and would relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the city.

Washington’s dramatic U-turn drew global condemnations, prompting the UN General Assembly to pass a resolution against the declaration.

The city, which Palestinians want as the capital of their future state, has been designated as “occupied” under international law.

The analyst also maintained that Israel is pursuing a policy of making life miserable for Palestinians in an attempt to “drive them out.”   

The expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories is an obstacle to a peace agreement – a policy that attests to “hypocrisy” and “cynicism” on the part of Israel, he said.

PressTV-US, Israel al-Quds bids threaten Palestine: Hamas

The Hamas chief warns that the US and Israel’s decisions on al-Quds threaten the entire Palestine.

According to Becker, the reason why Palestinians are refusing to go to the negotiating table is because there is no offer for them in Washington’s proposed peace plan.

Meanwhile, Geoffrey Alderman, the other panelist on the program, opined that the entire Jerusalem initiative is aimed at US domestic policy, explaining that Trump is seeking to satisfy the Israeli lobby and secure a second term in office.

The analyst also stated that there is nothing in Washington’s peace plan for Palestinians, which means the two-state solution is off the table.

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