Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel announced the planned vote on Tuesday, just as President Trump unveiled a long-awaited peace plan that would make Jerusalem the undivided capital of Israel without requiring the country to uproot any West Bank settlements. The annexation would establish what the country’s leaders have coveted since 1967: a permanent eastern border for Israel along the Jordan River, recognized by the United States. Context: Mr. Trump’s plan offers the Palestinians the possibility of a state with limited sovereignty and essentially dismantles 60 years of bipartisan support for a negotiated process between Israelis and Palestinians. Response: The Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, immediately denounced it as a “conspiracy deal,” and none of the United States’ Arab allies formally endorsed it. Another angle: The announcements by Mr. Trump, who is fighting impeachment charges, and Mr. Netanyahu, who is under indictment, seemed designed to bolster their domestic political fortunes, our national security correspondent writes.

Source: New York Times January 29, 2020 05:15 UTC