Covenant With Many

US says closing consulate in Jerusalem no policy shift
The AP reports: "When first announced by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in October, the move infuriated Palestinians, fueling their suspicions that the U.S. was recognizing Israeli control over east Jerusalem and the West Bank, territories that Palestinians seek for a future state. [...] The downgrade is just the latest in a string of divisive decisions by the Trump administration that have backed Israel and alienated the Palestinians, who say they have lost faith in the U.S. administration’s role as a neutral arbiter in peace process. [...] The Trump administration has cited the reluctance of Palestinian leaders to enter peace negotiations with Israel as the reason for such punitive measures, although the U.S. has yet to present its much-anticipated but still mysterious “Deal of the Century” to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, announced last month that the U.S. would unveil the deal after Israeli elections in April. "

Comment:  The media fixates on Palestinian opposition but they fail to note that half of the Palestinians (the Hamas wing) has always been against the peace process and indeed, against the existence of Israel. The Trump approach seems to be to bypass the Palestinians (who have, after all, opposed every previous peace deal) and work with the Arab neighbors to get their support first. Will this work? Time will tell. Looking forward to the unveiling of the peace plan in April.