The last year’s Middle East political agenda was mainly dominated by the redundant paradigm called the “Deal of the Century”. A promising title for the latest initiative of president Donald Trump who, setting aside the US plans to building the “new” or “great” Middle East (that the former secretary of state Condoleeza Rice launched in 2000), came up with an objective of his own – equally “modest” and complex and difficult – to find a final and long-lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Jared Kushner, presidential advisor and son-in-law (married to Ivanka Trump), who was very knowledgeable of the Arab mindset, was assigned to handle this troublesome file and so he did, steadfastly following the old Arabic saying Al-Sabr Fadhila, which translates into “Patience is a virtue”. And everybody waited. With little hope and satisfaction, the Palestinians, led by president Mahmoud Abbas did the same. They waited for the moment when Trump’s magic wand would pull the lucky bunny of the deal out of the hat.

Donald Trump and the Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, May, 2017. Photograph by Issam Rimawi/Anadolu Agency/Getty/www.newyorker.com

And, little by little, out of Jared Kushner’s magic repertoire, surprises kept on coming:

- Donald Trump stated that the USA recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s united and eternal capital, forgetting that the Knesset had annexed it by a law that the international community and the UN had dismissed and still dismiss today.

- The Trump administration proceeded to the “divine miracle” of transferring the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the “united city” of Jerusalem – Al-Quds.

- By order of president Trump, the Palestinian diplomatic office in Washington was closed.

- The USA decided (in 2019) to suspend the financial and humanitarian assistance to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

During the Doha Forum in 2019, organized under the slogan “From Peace to Prosperity”, Jared Kushner unveiled the economic aspects of the “deal”, which basically proposed giving the Palestinians a 10 billion USD “incentive”, provided by none other than his Royal Highness, the magnanimous Muhammad Bin Salman, the heir to the Saudi throne. As for the political aspects of the “deal”, ….. we must once again make reference to that famous “virtuous patience”. The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu felt elated once more, while the Palestinians and their president, Mahmoud Abbas unanimously decided: “Jerusalem and our dignity are not for sale”.

www.m.startribune.com

As regards the political segment of the “Deal of the Century” announced by president Trump during a press conference, it consisted in the de facto formalization of the position of both the US and Israel. This position dismisses any idea of a Palestinian state, whether an entity alongside Israel or not, and reduces the “rights of the Palestinians” to a regime of autonomy in the territories left to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. These territories would be connected by a highway and a tunnel built after the new Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu will have implemented the intention to take under Israeli sovereignty the Jewish settlements in the autonomous territories, as well as the one to annex the Jordan Valley and the territories north of the Dead Sea.

After the early elections on the 2^nd of March 2020 (the third round of early elections this year), consultations and negotiations for the formation of a governing coalition between the two front runners – Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of the far-right Likud party and general Benny Gantz, the leader of the right wing party, Blue and White (named after the colours of the Israeli flag) have started and are still under way. So, what about the “Deal of the Century”? No news so far. Patience is the most beautiful virtue! For the Palestinians, of course.

The world has other priorities. The world goes about its own isolation, while searching for elixirs to free itself as soon as possible from the nightmare that is COVID-19.

As for Jared Kushner…well, according to early April news, the former “handler” of the “Deal of the Century” was assigned another important task. He is to manage, at federal level, the fight against the new Coronavirus pandemic.

O tempora, o mores! Said the great Cicero.