Trump plan: Split Jerusalem, Palestinian state on up to 90% of W. Bank – report

Channel 13 news reports what it claims to be US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, in which Palestinians get up to 90% of the West Bank for their state with a land exchange that allows Israel to annex major settlement blocs.

According to the report, which cites a “senior American official” who relayed the outline of the plan in a closed “briefing a few days ago,” Israel would keep the settlements of the Etzion Bloc, Ma’ale Adumim and Ariel, and would be required to dismantle dozens of illegal outposts throughout the West Bank.

The plan, Channel 13 reports, divides Israeli settlements into three categories: major settlement blocs that were to be part of Israel in previous major peace frameworks, isolated settlements like Itamar, Itzhar and Tapuah that won’t be evacuated but also would not be permitted to grow, and outposts recognized as illegal under Israeli law that must be evacuated.

The plan purportedly divides Jerusalem into two capitals, an Israeli capital in Jewish-majority areas and a Palestinian one in most Arab-majority areas. The holy places in the city’s center would be under Israeli sovereignty but would be administered jointly by Israelis, Palestinians, Jordan and possibly additional nations.

The Trump administration believes the Palestinians will reject the plan, but expects Israel to react favorably, the report claims.