Greenblatt: Israeli Palestinian conflict is not the core regional problem

Greenblatt called on Israelis and Palestinians "to make the hard decisions to achieve a comprehensive peace agreement."
By Jonathan Weber Rosen

Jason Greenblatt, US President Donald Trump's chief envoy to the Middle East peace process, disseminated sharp words in three different languages concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that it "is not, as many have claimed, the core conflict of the region."

Greenblatt's words concerning Trumps "deal of the century" were published in three different publications: in English on the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, in Hebrew in the the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom and in Arabic in Asharq Al-Awsat, an international Arabic newspaper headquartered in London.

Greenblatt elaborated on the many threats in the Middle East: "solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not solve other conflicts in the region, including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, terrorists in the Sinai Desert in Egypt, a tragic, continuing civil war in Syria, war in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, instability in Libya, and an Iranian regime that oppresses its own people and foments terrorism around the world."

"That does not make resolving this conflict any less important," wrote the co-head of the Trump's delegation after listing all of the conflicts plaguing the region.

"The prevailing stance of the Arab world (with the exception of Egypt) was, as it had been for decades, aggression and war with Israel. Some 35 years later, however, there is a different reality," wrote Greenblatt concerning the regional unity in the midst of a common enemy.

Greenblatt called on Israelis and Palestinians "to make the hard decisions to achieve a comprehensive peace agreement."

The advisor mentioned that "the Palestinian leadership refuses to engage with us" in response to President Trump's decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, a symbolic demonstration of the Trump administration to recognize Jerusalem as the unified capital of the State of Israel.

"I will pray for an enduring solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I will pray for calm and tranquility for those in the region of Gaza – both Israelis and Palestinians who suffer from Hamas’ malign activities," he closed.

"I will pray for the Goldin and Shaul families, that Hamas will return Hadar and Oron to them. I will pray for the Mengistu and al Sayed families, that Hamas will return Avera and Hisham to them. I hope you will join me in these prayers."

In June before a visit to Israel, Greenblatt used a similar avenue of criticism against Hamas in a series of English, Hebrew and Arabic twitter posts in which he stated, "murderous Hamas leaders continue to squander the resources of Gaza."
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