Jerusalem (AFP) – US President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Monday and Tuesday will be closely scrutinised as he seeks ways to restart peace efforts. Here are key issues:
What is the current state of the conflict?
Nearly 70 years after the creation of Israel, peace with the Palestinians remains a long way off. This year marks 50 years since the Six-Day War and the beginning of Israel’s occupation. Peace efforts have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in 2014. Meanwhile, Israel and Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, have fought three wars since 2008.
Does Trump have a plan?
Trump has talked up his business experience in saying he wants to reach the “ultimate deal”: Israeli-Palestinian peace. However, a detailed plan is not expected only four months after taking office. Trump is instead expected to seek ways to move the two sides closer together and build confidence, though there is widespread scepticism.
“Triggering the start of a process does not mean taking it until the end,” said Palestinian political scientist Ali al-Jarbawi.
Read the full article by Laurent Lozano – AFP at Yahoo7 News.