14 September 2019

U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan would divide Jerusalem, Yamina Chairwoman Ayelet Shaked said in an interview Saturday night, three days before Israelis head to the polls.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "only talked about the carrots of the Trump plan, he didn't mention the sticks," Shaked told Channel 12's Meet the Press program. "He didn't talk about how they're going to divide Jerusalem. The plan includes giving East Jerusalem neighborhoods to the Palestinians."

The former justice minister also said that the plan would entail some Jewish settlements falling under Palestinian Authority sovereignty. When asked how she knows this, as only the economic section of the Trump administration's plan has been released thus far, Shaked responded: "I know."

She added, "I want to be part of a government that watches over Netanyahu – that makes sure that this doesn't happen."

Her statements come hours after Trump announced via Twitter that he and Netanyahu held a telephone conversation in which the two discussed the possibility of signing a mutual defense treaty between Washington and Jerusalem.

The potential deal would "further anchor the tremendous alliance between our two countries," Trump wrote. He added that he looked forward to "continuing those discussions after the Israeli Elections when we meet at the United Nations later this month!"

Netanyahu thanked Trump in an official statement he released. "Thank you my dear friend President Trump. The Jewish State has never had a greater friend in the White House. I look forward to our meeting at the UN to advance a historic Defense Treaty between the United States and Israel. We will continue together with full force our common battle against terrorism," he wrote. 

In a televised interviews with Channels 12 and 13 on Saturday night, the prime minister described the conversation as "warm and friendly." 

"President Trump called me on his own initiative," Netanyahu said. "I talked to him about establishing a defense treaty, an amazing thing. This is a historic thing."

He added: "When I work for years first of all to gain recognition for Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and then an exit from the Iran nuclear deal," referring to steps Trump has taken, "I'm going to bring a defense treaty that will bring us security for generations."

In June, the Trump administration revealed the economic chapter of the plan during a conference in Bahrain sponsored by the United States, which was attended by representatives and prominent businessmen from several Arab countries.

The political chapter is to be released only after Tuesday's election. But on the sidelines of the G-7 conference in France last month, Trump hinted to reporters that they "may see what the deal looks like before the election." 

SOURCE: Haaretz