I. Would. Put themselves on the line they did accept it or reject it. So when you want to be president. I want to. Get to the right person this is like the. 3 of them all cant be good. Im interested always in the waters and the. Following welcome to cross talk were all things are considered im Peter Lavelle parts of gerrard deal of the century have been made public and the reception has not been good focusing on aid and infrastructure the deal is silent on the most contentious political issues and for all intensive purposes the long proposed 2 state solution appears to be dead is the deal of the century dead on arrival. Across talking the deal of the century im joined. My guest peter ford in manchester hes a former British Ambassador to bahrain and syria and a senior official with the u. N. Agency for palestine refugees until 2015 in tel aviv we have amir oren he is a defense and government commentator also in tel aviv we have yossi melman he is a senior Israeli Security writer and commentator hi gentlemen crossed out rules in effect that means you can jump in anytime you want and i always appreciate lets go to embassador peter in manchester. Whats your reception of questioners a deal i mean lets be clear with our audience here that this is the economic part of it where other parts are going to be released in short order but its its very difficult to conceive having an economic plan of this magnitude we dont know where the money is going to come from we dont know whos going to pay for it we really dont know who is going to benefit from it if it comes to fruition but how can you have a plan like this without a political framework to move forward because theres a military occupation of palestinian lands i mean how can you talk about infrastructure when you havent dealt with that issue go ahead peter. Absolutely i dont think this plan is. If you read 96 page you plan it reads like a really a prospectus for utopian maybe one of Donald Trumps development or a new golf course where the palestinians perhaps with jobs with these in green keep both looking after it for the israeli. Territory. Planted here you tall and we have to ask why were even discussing it so serious on every level even on its own terms and economic blueprint. Makes sense. Thing important. Like control of the movement how can that possibly. We happen to you know movement from where to where what what is going to be the palestinian territory which you going to fear all the utopian development its not theory of ok the same question to you a mirror in tel aviv what is your take on. A deal of the century as theyre calling it. Well im afraid if you wanted to have a real conflict on this show youre not going to have any because you can choose your term amateur dealer tons tons whatever you want to call jarrett cushion or a gesture than the others they are really no experts on the middle east and its a pity that the United States which brought forward people like george about szell and Henry Kissinger and jim baker is now at the hands of people like donald trump and his associates they understand nothing about diplomacy and nothing about the middle east its even insulting its like trying to give someone a buck shish. In order for him to give up what he really values sovereignty statehood hes capital and all of that and its really too much to waste a lot of time on it and one can only ask every toric a question would these rallies agree to sell their own National Dignity and national lent or even the settlements in the west bank for a price tag of 50000000000. 00 or 500000000000. 00 or whatever the amount would be ok youre seeing in tel aviv i mean the supporters of this deal or are spinning it is a middle east Marshall Plan we already heard marshalls name mentioned already i mean but i dont really understand how it works i mean if the countries that are involved or are egypt lebannon jordan is. Will the palestinian lands i mean whos going to make those decisions i mean i seriously doubt it we know all due respect israels going to want to see the palestinians spending 5050000000000. 00 or any part of that ok i mean obviously it would seem like since its coming from jared questionnaire that he would want the israelis to be spending that money i mean how would it all these other countries want to get involved in Something Like that when its unclear if its going to be in their National Interests go ahead yossi and i and. Yes i agree with peter right now me or its a nonstarter for it for a diplomatic breakthrough its even a funny kind of thing when the end because the groom and the bride are not taking part in a party hes rallies and public and palestinian leaders are absent from from the meeting in moderating. The a. V. M. Maybe heads some sort of log had it been preceded 1st afforded by. The political negotiations and then you could have come forward with their own economic package now the idea of the economic backer g. s not bad at all for its sales. The idea is that jordan which is under tremendous economic pressure egypt which is. Deteriorating every day and lebanon which is a host of many Palestinian Refugees would benefit from big deal which would be part of kind of solving the palestinian problem its interesting but without at diplomatic. Negotiations with the we doubt that the dogs its a nonstarter there its just a joke and yes its typical of the drug. But the new station and my final comment would be you have to we have to understand who is behind the plan who has designed the plan. And joe is there any special. Green bulb and we have a nice u. S. Ambassador in this israel David Friedman all of them are support there is all the. Settlements there are friends of the settlers and they are against. Our against the palestinian state solution and in favor of this israeli an extension of the occupied territories ok well im kind of disappointed that were all in such agreement but were pledging it out and its really important peter i mean this this deal looks like its repackaging the occupation thats all its doing its putting a nice you know it is tying a little bow over something that has existed for decades and and shared question it certainly is not approaching that because you cant deal with these Economic Issues im going to agree with the only with without dealing with the political i mean thats what you thats where you start ok in the economic infrastructure if a political arrangement can be made which we all know its been very very difficult thats where you would go go ahead and manchester. You know. The implied deal here i mean what is the deal. The implied deal is that for 50000000000. 00 the palestinian birthright in return for tickets or a lottery using other peoples money they might not win on anyway they will give up all right and land that is in fact christian and maybe its more or less explicit in some of his recent statement by saying that the the Arab Peace Initiative with no basis for negotiations by saying among palestinians he is far as he knew it was only technocratic people who wanted to argue about these or quit facts of sovereignty and right and land and the ordinary people just wanted to get a life that this is the. 3rd. Self serving thinking new thing and dignifying it with the wrong word here its not really thinking i mean if it was serious anything its worth asking ourselves what would a serious plan look like what it would include these 2 elements which are absent one compensation for the settlers who would be routed from the settlements on the any imaginable peace deal and secondly the fund to help returning a number a limited number possibly of returning Palestinian Refugees is not even touched on a mere immediately gerrard cushiony he told he writes im just a couple of words here a healthy economy while is a healthy population but the trumping ministration is really withdrawn all kinds of funds from the palestinians. Particularly in building hospitals in east jerusalem. A recognition of the p. L. O. Represented. Nation in washington i could go on and on and then his son in law is saying we need a healthy palestine i mean what is going on here i mean did anybody in the state Department Read it i mean or just because hes the son in law you get a blank check i mean its patently absurd what is being written here talking about Health Conditions and how you can grow the g. D. P. Well if you have a military occupation its going to hard to grow a g. D. P. When you cant move around you have limited choices for work and you have huge unemployment i mean what in the world is this about go ahead in tel aviv. Well its a bipolar policy and the 2 poles can be summed up by one word and this is fine if you are fine with my poli sci youll get a lot of incentives if not im going to fine you and youre going to pay a lot and the only precedent in American History for such a proposal goes back to who was it beats a minute to gave the native americans 24. 00 worth of colored beads for the island of manhattan perhaps this is where the trumps and the question is got their idea now we are giving them too much credit by calling it a play in a proposal all they wanted to do is to get away from their Campaign Pledge of 3 years ago to solve the palestinian israeli conflict of course they were very cocky about the we will succeed where everybody before us failed they dont have anything up their sleeves but they had to come up with something so be published this proposal knowing full well that nothing will come out of feet and those countries who need the United States for protection against iran in the gulf very obedient Police Showed up again very willing that is going on so thats where were going to go in the 2nd part of this program i just im up the 1st half the program is it was a bribe but nobody is going to take i would say after a short break well continue our discussion on the deal of the century state party. In the lead a showdown between washington and tehran there is no regional ally to restrain the u. S. Is worse tendency with orchestrated and sinks. Imposed what can stop the u. S. From sliding into yet another middle east were. This hard to take so from somebody if you know have some to replace. You want to do this interview today and i will do some market move and then they take me. There are you going to. Syria. So how can i tell you stop selling drugs if well hire somebody because the money in a box. They just feel when life has almost been basically mccullers peaceful for the worse to us whats a good many security positions over the us you know. David jack me again. You see people get all their cars you know see you coming in the heart and it seems like theyll hurry up and run into the house like they dont want to they dont want to talk to your get your mail or anything like that. I just want to. Say i can do this. Just try renaming. Me no no to someone give me. The answer to every single day economic problem every single number every single statistic every Single Market reactions to a lower rate thats the old its like an alcoholic who drinks when theyre happy they drink when theyre sad they drink because its tuesday they drink because its daytime they drink because theyre not bawling they just drink drink drink drop how rates whether the economy is expanding whether its contract a pool of president it doesnt matter is dog bit out of his wife hes going to lower rates makes no difference. Thats the only thing they did. Welcome back to cross talk were all things are considered on people about your mind you were discussing the deal of the century. Ok lets go back to your scene in tel aviv amir did at the very end of the 1st part of the program he mentioned iran and can we put this deal and maybe this the trumpet ministrations approach to the israel and the middle east and iran into context here are there any real connections here because we have we have countries in the middle east that. Talking about outside of the palestinians and israel its is it looks like you know the Trump Administration is looking for some kind of grand strategy and that grand strategy obviously is to create some kind of coalition against iran and were living in very dangerous times right now how well founded is the Trump Administrations quest for this coalition. Well. These things are connected in their way their reason there is a coalition of bro a Broad Coalition of you can call it this. Is some sort of in the israeli mind or participation made by providing intelligence and some. Of the wear and software to United Arab Emirates to some of the arabia is to defend themselves against the iranian threat. Iran is a major is a major. Topic for the trumpet ministration and they sidelined the palestinian issue. As i said earlier United Arab Emirates by hurricane saudi arabia egypt and even jordan who are on the run were forced to participate in their behind rain conference peace conference the konami phrase deal of the century which is actually maybe a deal of the day so these things are connected iran is a major major problem for the United States and for israel and saudi arabia one shouldnt deny that and therefore this is their main focus. For us is not important or peter the same question to you i mean what what is the confines of all of this because i mean i ended the 1st part of the program by calling the deal of the century a bribe that no one is going to take and we know that at the conference and brain a lot of low level people are attending i mean if its not somebody you know theres no real hot tickets theyre ok i mean i guess its kind of a lame attempts to not to deal with real realities i mean i think the trump and ministrations approach to iran is farcical its making it far far worse ok its not using diplomacy as supply see should be used we dont need another regional war and certainly trumps base isnt interested in it either go ahead peter. Lightly surprise theyve gone ahead with it on the timing. Of almost literally a flame i dont hold it would have been why the put it off for a few weeks because at the moment going to be a propaganda gift who terror on. Terror around propaganda mill theyre already worrying over the way. The meeting is going and burthen and in fact the gulf countries the going to it that theyre holding than those who is. Trying to smuggle their own Public Opinion which again did the whole thing is an embarrassment and actually a propaganda gift to iran. I mean from what i understand it was the american side that decided that in israeli delegation shouldnt show up because the arab countries were sending such low level officials apparently the saudis wanted to make it look like theres some kind of unity within the arab league among arab elites and israel but they took it off the table at the last 2nd without a wise move. It was inevitable because if the palestinians dont show up it was going to look people so one sided so much often american israeli accius that there would be no point in even holding the show but you mentioned earlier the electoral base. Is aiming polisi at this base and jelly cool and also include some right wing jewish supporters and donors big time contributors no doubt about that no no doubt about that he doesnt go ahead. Right so for them he wants he wants to show that he is supportive of israel and dismissive of the palestinians and also he wants to show that this is one of his Campaign Pledges that he at least made a good effort to fulfill if it didnt come to pass so be it now looks towards the next elections and he wants to check the box and move ahead you know see under this administration unambiguous lee the trumpet ministration is openly and very forcefully pro israel as the least see it ok how does that how is that bad for any kind of Peace Process when there are so many pieces that we need to have in the middle east but if the United States is abandon its its a broker position that it prided itself on for decades and i dont think it was a fair broker but at least it was a pretense of being a fair broker but now with this switch here i mean how does that bode for the region. You are absolutely right even though there are more balance of them in the stray shamisen like Barak Obama Administration or even. To bushs administrations still United States was very favorable. And supportive of israel and that was the major palestinian complaint nowadays on their drugs there is nothing even due to compare with these up salute 300 percent not only on these ready sites. 100 percent on one side of israel and this is their right wing they say the layers. And therefore if you really want to make a progress in the middle east or at least in these really are Palestinian Conflict you need it bad there are more. And more by. Unfortunately its not going to happen and all the nollywood say that trumps for him paulie see if he has any. Is just in shambles regarding north korea regarded russia regarding china and in the middle east as well especially in these really Palestinian Conflict ok peter i will give you a hypothetical ok go ahead i mean the point of the program jump in. Ok you said that this is the american policy pro israel is not broad israeli these pro Benjamin Netanyahu ok good governor good point thank you thank you. Yes thats fair good point this is this is not known this is this is not. To be identical with israel the good of the israeli people and the electorate here is split down the middle at most. And his followers resent broadly half of the population and most of the more thoughtful israelis are against his policy a mere thank you for correcting me on my own program i stand corrected youre absolutely right let me go to peter now with my hypothetical ok donald trump finds out the reception of his son in law is a plan everyones laughing at it so what donald trump does being unpredictable as he is he calls you up peter and ask you to be his special envoy in the middle east whats the 1st thing you would do. Because you have the qualifications for it you could do the job. I have to think mr president you have to go back through your starting point but what are very much afraid. Plan is not withstanding the poor reception of the economic plan were going to press ahead with plan a. Which anticipated i think the kind of reception it must have done anyone with half a brain could have foreseen what was happening they put on the table after the israeli elections the. Political blueprint which will involve almost total capitulation. Of 90 percent of the land through israel and then hell say well we offered this fantastic amount of money you turned it down now youre turning down our political plan to give you back some of your land. And end of story end of story were going to recognize israels sovereignty over the the west bank or big chunks of it that that that is where were headed that is where we are headed regardless of what anyone advises him. You know you know she and i mean thats a really good point because it seems like could be the trumpet ministration is seeking a greater israel because netanyahu has been hinting at it about the annexation of the good part of the west bank if not all of it here and certainly the United States would not object even though that was. Not something any other administration had even contemplated how would that change the dynamic because if its ok that u. S. And then maybe a few of its allies would recognize it but most of the world will not do that how does that change the dynamic in the palestine israel conflict go ahead yossi yes sir still im not sure the drunk really cares about annexation equal to the ones you have been b. B. Wanted and he wants to make people happy thats thats the point and the mayor it did a really good job of explaining that. That was exactly play 2nd that 2nd sentence im going was going to say he doesnt care about settlements he doesnt care about an exception he he wants to support netanyahu as as i mentioned he are very supportive of the israeli right wingers and this and they are friends of the settlers now. Once israel annexed this part of the west bank and it would be a slow process it would not be overnight any 2 then accession would take would take. Place in chunks once it is completed then did the end of the israeli palestinian. Even imagine or possible or through already peace aleutian and maybe leave. It would have its wrong you think geishas on the israeli itself of days really psyche on the israeli public on israeli economy because many countries eventually will treat israel theyll write some. So ok on that point gentlemen i will have to jump in here this is the 1st time ive done a program dealing with israel and the palestinians are there wasnt a blow out im very thankful to all of you many thanks to my guests in tel aviv and in manchester and thanks to our viewers for watching us here at r. T. C. Unix time and remember. It will lead to showdown between washington and tehran there is no regional ally to restrain the u. S. Is worst tendencies with barbs treated and sanctions imposed what can stop the u. S. From sliding into yet another middle east war. Not to states and the wrong trade as a u. N. Security Council Meeting the other member states. Also this hour the u. K. Stop selling crowd control weapons to hong kong over the recent protests. But 6 there was humam sales to saudi arabia thats the spy of the Bombing Campaign in yemen. And the German Government admits its lost track of around 160. 00 islamic extremists who traveled to syria and iran. From moscow watching all to international and daniel walk in this room