Trump pitches two-state plan for Middle East

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled a plan for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He announced the plan from the East Room of the White House at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces another election on March 2. “Forging peace between Israelis and Palestinians may be the most extraordinary challenge of all,” Trump said. “But I was not elected to do small things or shy away from big problems.”

What’s included in the deal? The plan calls for the creation of a Palestinian state with a capital in parts of East Jerusalem, where the United States would open an embassy. The territory under Palestinian control would more than double, connecting the Gaza Strip and the West Bank with a proposed tunnel. The plan also recognizes Israeli sovereignty over some settlements in the West Bank and much of the Jordan Valley. It calls for a four-year freeze on Israel constructing new settlements while Israeli and Palestinian officials work out a comprehensive agreement.

The plan says that to get its own state, Palestine would have to meet certain conditions, such as the rejection of groups that are connected with terrorism. The Palestinians have already rejected the proposal and called on surrounding countries to do likewise.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Stew about how the Democratic Party is divided over U.S. policy toward Israel.