In five days, we have had three hurricanes as former Middle East Envoy Jason Greenblatt on Thursday, July 23, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, July 28, spoke of the Trump peace plan.
It appears even if the Trump plan is mentioned, and even if the plan isn’t actively being worked on, the atmospheric disruption continues. Fortunately, these hurricanes haven’t produced a lot of damage to this point outside of massive rain and flooding in Texas and the southeastern US coast this weekend and into early next week.
The good news is neither Pompeo nor Netanyahu mentioned any timeline for Israel for implementation of the peace plan. I also understand that the mapping process has been stopped for now but haven’t confirmed this. However, it does seem that the Trump Administration, because of the U.S. election, has dropped any active plan effort. Also, Netanyahu is facing significant political challenges and legal issues that are receiving much of his attention.
Activity details
Last Thursday, former Middle East Envoy Jason Greenblatt was quoted in an Israel Army Radio interview (see below) saying that he fully endorsed the Trump peace plan. Click here for article: Jerusalem Post
The Trump administration’s peace plan asked Israel to commit to setting aside territory for a future Palestinian state in exchange for its approval to annex settlements, former Greenblatt told Army Radio.
“Can the Israeli government declare the extension of sovereignty? The answer is yes,” Greenblatt said Thursday. “But under the peace plan that we released, that comes with a commitment to set aside a certain area of land for the eventual potential Palestinian state.”
Within a few hours of that statement, the storm that became Hurricane Hanna developed. The Category 1 hurricane hit south Texas with massive rain and flooding.
Moreover, during last weekend Hurricane Douglas was heading directly toward the Hawaiian Islands but fortunately on Sunday pulled away and just grazed the islands.
On Tuesday, the Israel Knesset Allies Caucus was reformed. During the online presentation Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both acknowledged the Trump peace plan as a tropical depression began to form that has evolved into Hurricane Isais (articles below).
Pompeo said, “We championed the President’s vision for peace. It’s the best and most realistic path forward to end the bloodshed between Israel and the Palestinian people and achieve enduring security, freedom and prosperity for both sides.”
Netanyahu stated that the Trump plan “has the potential to overcome past failures by offering the Palestinians the path of peace and reconciliation.”
The Jerusalem Post article further stated, in oblique references to possible sovereignty moves, that Netanyahu said the plan “‘allow[s] us to reach the secure borders that Israeli governments have long sought’ and ‘acknowledges that Jewish people are not foreign occupiers in Judea and Samaria,’ which he pointed out to the Christian audience are significant to their heritage, as well.”
Covid 19 challenges continue for Israel and the United States
The Covid 19 pandemic has produced enormous strain on the Trump Administration and the Israeli government.
Israel overtakes US in new coronavirus cases per capita
Israel now has the fifth highest number of new coronavirus infections per capita in the world, overtaking the United States, according to data compiled by a scientific publication based at Oxford University.
On Tuesday, Israel was recording 210.96 new COVID-19 cases per 1 million people, Our World in Data said, behind only Oman, Panama, Brazil and Bahrain.
The US, which has the most reported virus cases and deaths of any country, had an infection rate of 198.64 per 1 million people.
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Former envoy Greenblatt says Trump peace plan asks Israel to pledge land for Palestinian state; two storms become hurricanes within hours
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Greenblatt on Thursday: Peace plan asks Israel to pledge land for Palestinian state -Jerusalem Post
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Hanna begins late on Wed: NOAA
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Hurricane Hanna floods Corpus Christi – Saturday - Accuweather
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Tropical depression eight began on Monday, July 20 - NOAA
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Hurricane Warnings Issued as Douglas Tracks Near the Hawaiian Islands – Sunday Weather.com
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Hawaii 'breathing a sigh of relief' as Douglas pulls away after just grazing islands - San Franciso Gate
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Netanyahu, Pompeo put Trump peace plan back on the table; Isais begins within hours of their video addresses
Netanyahu, Pompeo put Trump peace plan back on the table – (Tuesday, July 28, 2020)
July 29, 2020 - Jerusalem Post
After weeks of silence on US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo put it back on the agenda in their remarks at an event on Tuesday.
Listing the Trump administration’s accomplishments in the US-Israel relationship, Pompeo said:
“We championed the President’s vision for peace. It’s the best and most realistic path forward to end the bloodshed between Israel and the Palestinian people and achieve enduring security, freedom and prosperity for both sides.”
Other Trump policies Pompeo listed were moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and telling “the truth that Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank are not per se inconsistent with international law.”
Netanyahu said in a letter read at the event that the Trump plan “has the potential to overcome past failures by offering the Palestinians the path of peace and reconciliation.”
In oblique references to possible sovereignty moves, Netanyahu said the plan “allow[s] us to reach the secure borders that Israeli governments have long sought” and “acknowledges that Jewish people are not foreign occupiers in Judea and Samaria,” which he pointed out to the Christian audience are significant to their heritage, as well.
Netanyahu and Pompeo spoke at the launch of a new Knesset caucus, led by Likud MK Sharren Haskel. The caucus works with 42 caucuses in legislatures on six continents. MKs from seven parties joined the caucus that emphasizes the importance of strengthening Christian support for Israel.
Pompeo touted that support in his remarks, in a video message filmed in advance, in which he said “Christian support for Israel in the US is both morally right and absolutely indispensable. It’s strong in both our nations and it’s not going anywhere.”
Netanyahu said his government is “dedicated to working together with our Christian friends from across the globe to further enhance the partnership between us.”
He also urged Christian lawmakers around the world to "follow the American example and move their embassies to Jerusalem.”
Hurricane Isais
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Isaias began as a storm on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 - NOAA
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Florida in cone as hurricane center issues warnings for what could become Tropical Storm Isaias - Orlando Sentinel
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Tropical Storm Isaias slams Puerto Rico en route to US, harkens memories of Maria – July 30, 2020 - Accuweather
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Isaias explodes into hurricane overnight, to make run along southeastern US coast - Accuweather
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