JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser said in an interview published Sunday that the administration will soon present its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, with or without input from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In an interview published in the Arabic language Al-Quds newspaper, Jared Kushner appealed directly to Palestinians and criticized Abbas, who has shunned the Trump team over its alleged pro-Israel bias, particularly on the fate of contested Jerusalem.

The interview came out after a weeklong trip around the region by Kushner and Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt. The team met with leaders of Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the administration's proposals for a peace deal.

The Palestinians refused to meet with Kushner, and leaders have criticized the Trump negotiating team in recent days.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Kushner and Greenblatt on Saturday of trying to topple the Abbas-led West Bank autonomy government and dismantle the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees. On Sunday, Erekat doubled down on his criticism, telling Israel's Channel 10 that the American negotiators are "not neutral" and predicting their peace plan would fail.

Any peace plan would face major obstacles, including the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, internal Palestinian divisions, and recent cross-border violence between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that he met twice with Kushner and Greenblatt this weekend and discussed "how to solve the humanitarian situation in Gaza without strengthening Hamas."

It remains unclear how the Trump administration would proceed with a peace plan without Palestinian cooperation.

Kushner said the plan is "almost done," but offered scant details aside from the promise of economic prosperity. He made no mention of a Palestinian state arising alongside Israel, though he acknowledged that Arab partners support that goal.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza — territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and two years later, Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas' forces. Abbas now governs only small autonomous zones in the West Bank.

Kushner cast doubt on Abbas' ability to make a deal, alleging that the Palestinian leadership is "scared we will release our peace plan and the Palestinian people will actually like it" because it would offer them a better life.

"The global community is getting frustrated with Palestinian leadership and not seeing many actions that are constructive toward achieving peace," Kushner said. "There are a lot of sharp statements and condemnations, but no ideas or efforts with prospects of success."

Palestinian leaders have refused to meet with the Trump team since the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Jerusalem is an emotional issue at the epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel captured the city's eastern half, home to holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The annexation is not internationally recognized. Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future state.

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly," Kushner said.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh responded to Kushner's interview by restating that American efforts will yield no result if they bypass the Palestinian leadership, and if they are not aimed at an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Later in the day Israel's military said its aircraft carried out several strikes in Gaza in response to Palestinians launching "arson and explosive balloons."

Gaza's Health Ministry said three people were wounded. Local media and witnesses in Gaza said the injured were members of Hamas forces.

For weeks, Israel has been struggling to combat large fires caused by kites and balloons rigged with incendiary devices launched by Palestinians in Gaza that have destroyed forests, burned crops and killed wildlife and livestock.

The military said that Hamas is now orchestrating the flying fire bomb attacks and "will bear the consequences for its actions."</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser said in an interview published Sunday that the administration will soon present its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, with or without input from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In an interview published in the Arabic language Al-Quds newspaper, Jared Kushner appealed directly to Palestinians and criticized Abbas, who has shunned the Trump team over its alleged pro-Israel bias, particularly on the fate of contested Jerusalem.

The interview came out after a weeklong trip around the region by Kushner and Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt. The team met with leaders of Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the administration's proposals for a peace deal.

The Palestinians refused to meet with Kushner, and leaders have criticized the Trump negotiating team in recent days.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Kushner and Greenblatt on Saturday of trying to topple the Abbas-led West Bank autonomy government and dismantle the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees. On Sunday, Erekat doubled down on his criticism, telling Israel's Channel 10 that the American negotiators are "not neutral" and predicting their peace plan would fail.

Any peace plan would face major obstacles, including the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, internal Palestinian divisions, and recent cross-border violence between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that he met twice with Kushner and Greenblatt this weekend and discussed "how to solve the humanitarian situation in Gaza without strengthening Hamas."

It remains unclear how the Trump administration would proceed with a peace plan without Palestinian cooperation.

Kushner said the plan is "almost done," but offered scant details aside from the promise of economic prosperity. He made no mention of a Palestinian state arising alongside Israel, though he acknowledged that Arab partners support that goal.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza — territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and two years later, Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas' forces. Abbas now governs only small autonomous zones in the West Bank.

Kushner cast doubt on Abbas' ability to make a deal, alleging that the Palestinian leadership is "scared we will release our peace plan and the Palestinian people will actually like it" because it would offer them a better life.

"The global community is getting frustrated with Palestinian leadership and not seeing many actions that are constructive toward achieving peace," Kushner said. "There are a lot of sharp statements and condemnations, but no ideas or efforts with prospects of success."

Palestinian leaders have refused to meet with the Trump team since the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Jerusalem is an emotional issue at the epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel captured the city's eastern half, home to holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The annexation is not internationally recognized. Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future state.

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly," Kushner said.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh responded to Kushner's interview by restating that American efforts will yield no result if they bypass the Palestinian leadership, and if they are not aimed at an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Later in the day Israel's military said its aircraft carried out several strikes in Gaza in response to Palestinians launching "arson and explosive balloons."

Gaza's Health Ministry said three people were wounded. Local media and witnesses in Gaza said the injured were members of Hamas forces.

For weeks, Israel has been struggling to combat large fires caused by kites and balloons rigged with incendiary devices launched by Palestinians in Gaza that have destroyed forests, burned crops and killed wildlife and livestock.

The military said that Hamas is now orchestrating the flying fire bomb attacks and "will bear the consequences for its actions."</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser said in an interview published Sunday that the administration will soon present its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, with or without input from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In an interview published in the Arabic language Al-Quds newspaper, Jared Kushner appealed directly to Palestinians and criticized Abbas, who has shunned the Trump team over its alleged pro-Israel bias, particularly on the fate of contested Jerusalem.

The interview came out after a weeklong trip around the region by Kushner and Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt. The team met with leaders of Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the administration's proposals for a peace deal.

The Palestinians refused to meet with Kushner, and leaders have criticized the Trump negotiating team in recent days.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Kushner and Greenblatt on Saturday of trying to topple the Abbas-led West Bank autonomy government and dismantle the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees. On Sunday, Erekat doubled down on his criticism, telling Israel's Channel 10 that the American negotiators are "not neutral" and predicting their peace plan would fail.

Any peace plan would face major obstacles, including the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, internal Palestinian divisions, and recent cross-border violence between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that he met twice with Kushner and Greenblatt this weekend and discussed "how to solve the humanitarian situation in Gaza without strengthening Hamas."

It remains unclear how the Trump administration would proceed with a peace plan without Palestinian cooperation.

Kushner said the plan is "almost done," but offered scant details aside from the promise of economic prosperity. He made no mention of a Palestinian state arising alongside Israel, though he acknowledged that Arab partners support that goal.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza — territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and two years later, Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas' forces. Abbas now governs only small autonomous zones in the West Bank.

Kushner cast doubt on Abbas' ability to make a deal, alleging that the Palestinian leadership is "scared we will release our peace plan and the Palestinian people will actually like it" because it would offer them a better life.

"The global community is getting frustrated with Palestinian leadership and not seeing many actions that are constructive toward achieving peace," Kushner said. "There are a lot of sharp statements and condemnations, but no ideas or efforts with prospects of success."

Palestinian leaders have refused to meet with the Trump team since the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Jerusalem is an emotional issue at the epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel captured the city's eastern half, home to holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The annexation is not internationally recognized. Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future state.

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly," Kushner said.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh responded to Kushner's interview by restating that American efforts will yield no result if they bypass the Palestinian leadership, and if they are not aimed at an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Later in the day Israel's military said its aircraft carried out several strikes in Gaza in response to Palestinians launching "arson and explosive balloons."

Gaza's Health Ministry said three people were wounded. Local media and witnesses in Gaza said the injured were members of Hamas forces.

For weeks, Israel has been struggling to combat large fires caused by kites and balloons rigged with incendiary devices launched by Palestinians in Gaza that have destroyed forests, burned crops and killed wildlife and livestock.

The military said that Hamas is now orchestrating the flying fire bomb attacks and "will bear the consequences for its actions."</s>Fresh off his high-profile meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump may next turn his attention to what he has called the “ultimate deal” — a new U.S. plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior advisor and son-in-law, and Jason Greenblatt, his Middle East peace envoy, visited the Middle East last week to test ideas for the plan and explore ways to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza. And in a wide-ranging interview with a Palestinian newspaper at the end of the trip, Kushner promised the plan would soon be ready, while heavily criticizing Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and hinting at a potential truce between Hamas and Israel.

Putting out a new U.S. peace plan at this moment would be a terrible mistake that would likely only make matters worse. The White House should instead postpone whatever peace plan is in the works and focus foremost on stabilizing the situation in Gaza.

It is impossible to be a mediator in a conflict or release a credible peace plan when one side refuses to even talk to you. Palestinian leaders have not met with senior U.S. officials for the past six months, since Trump announced that he would move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. In that context, the content of a plan would not matter. The Palestinians would reject it out of hand.

The administration’s proposal could also have other negative, long-lasting effects, which could play out in two different ways. Under the less damaging scenario, the United States would put out a balanced proposal consistent with international understanding of the situation and U.S. policy for the past generation. In that case, it would include territory for a future Palestinian state in most of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with territorial land swaps to keep the majority of the Jewish settler population in Israel. The plan would also include a capital for the Palestinians in East Jerusalem. In exchange, Israel would obtain security arrangements that would ensure that Hamas or another extremist group would be unable to control the West Bank. There would be an international mechanism to compensate Palestinian refugees but no real right of return, with only a symbolic number of Palestinians allowed back into Israel and the overwhelming majority exercising their right of return in the new state of Palestine, choosing to stay where they are, or being resettled in a third country.

The problem is that there is no point in putting out this plan again. U.S. President Bill Clinton laid it out in the Clinton Parameters in 2001, as did Secretary of State John Kerry at the end of the Obama administration. At present, both sides — a Palestinian leadership deeply skeptical of Trump and a right-wing Israeli government — would reject it. Such a proposal would only further discredit the ideas upon which a future two-state solution could be achieved.

The increasingly likely scenario is that the administration instead proposes a plan that is more favorable to Israel. That plan could, for example, call for the Israel Defense Forces to remain in the West Bank for a generation or longer and continue to hold the 60 percent of the West Bank it currently controls while creating the basis of a state for the Palestinians in Gaza. This would be anathema for the Palestinians. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would find such a plan highly appealing and will likely accept it with some reservations, which would still give him the flexibility to negotiate over some aspects.

This approach would be dangerous in a number of ways. First, it would box in center-left Israeli politicians who would see the Trump plan as unrealistic. However, they would not be in a position to oppose a U.S. proposal because it would be too good for Israel. A new political baseline would be set in Israel for what an acceptable solution might look like: one that the Palestinians would never agree to. The end result would push the sides even further apart.

An even more pernicious possibility is that if the Palestinians were to reject either of these plans — especially one accepted by Israel —it could then become the basis for the Israeli government to once again make the case that it has no partner on the Palestinian side and therefore begin the process of annexing large chunks of the West Bank, a move that a number of politicians in Israel now openly advocate, which would make the possibility of a two-state solution impossible. Under the current right-wing Israeli government and a White House that has come down heavily on Israel’s side, the Israeli settler movement may never get a better opportunity.

The Trump administration seems to be counting on Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia, to force the Palestinians to accept its plan. The theory is that the Arab states have moved on from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and are more interested in fighting Iran.

It is true that the Saudis are so focused on Iran that they might be willing to shift on the Israeli-Palestinian question, but they have already run into trouble when they have tried to do so. In the fall, there were reports that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at Kushner’s behest, called Abbas to Riyadh, where he tried to pressure him to accept the Trump administration’s ideas. It didn’t work. The story got out, and there was backlash in the Arab media. Instead of siding with the United States, when the Saudis hosted an Arab League conference in the aftermath of the Jerusalem announcement they renamed it the al-Quds (the Arabic word for Jerusalem) Summit in order to highlight this issue.

Beyond that, the Trump administration has invested too much in the Saudis and not enough in some of the other key Arab states. It is the Jordanians and Egyptians who have been much more engaged on the Palestinian issue for the past 25 years, and have much more leverage on Abbas because of their control of borders that abut both Gaza and the West Bank. They are much less likely to be flexible precisely because it directly affects their own national interests — especially the Jordanians, who have a population that is 50 to 70 percent of Palestinian origin and are dealing with their own internal problems right now.

Beyond that, it is unclear if the Arab States will do anything different than what they have done for years. Whenever a U.S. president or secretary of state asks for their support in pushing a new U.S. plan, they always say yes. But they never follow through with either meaningful positive incentives for the Palestinians or genuine political pressure. The bottom line is that most of the Arab states do not prioritize the Palestinian issue and do not get along with Abbas. They will neither offer him major incentives nor take political risks at home by pressing him, especially if they believe a U.S. plan is doomed from the start.

Rather than focus on a long-term peace plan that has little chance for success, the administration should instead focus on the immediate emergency in the Gaza Strip, where the population gets only about four hours of electricity per day, more than 90 percent of the drinking water is not potable, and the situation is growing increasingly unstable and could trigger another Israel-Hamas war.

To the Trump administration’s credit, it is somewhat focused on this issue. It held an international meeting on Gaza in Washington in March and is reportedly pushing a proposal to for the Gulf states to invest in projects in the Sinai Peninsula that would help the economy in Gaza.

Unfortunately, rumors of the broader peace plan and the fact that it may be intended to split Gaza from the West Bank and create a separate state there have caused many of the main stakeholders to balk at any solutions. The Palestinian Authority immediately rejected the U.S. plan for Gaza, arguing it was a way to create an economically independent Gaza and a precursor to an independent territory separated from the West Bank. The Egyptians are also unlikely to go for this plan, fearing that if Gaza becomes increasingly economically dependent on Egypt, it will become Egypt’s problem rather than Israel’s.

Instead, the administration should pursue two immediate initiatives. First, it should release the $300 million the United States is currently holding up for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., reportedly spearheaded this hold in retaliation for the response at the U.N. to the Jerusalem embassy announcement. Opposition to UNRWA, especially in Israel but also in the Trump administration, runs deep, based on the view that it simply perpetuates the refugee mentality among Palestinians.

But the answer is not to cut off the most significant aid provider inside the Gaza Strip in the middle of a crisis without having a legitimate, functioning alternative. And the reality is that UNRWA is the only real option in Gaza right now. It educates 250,000 children in its schools — children who would otherwise be in Hamas schools or on the streets. And it provides much of the humanitarian aid that gets into Gaza. If the administration is insistent on slashing UNRWA funding, it could hold the funds that go to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, and elsewhere, and make cuts only in areas where other relief agencies can potentially step in and fill the gap. But in Gaza, UNRWA is by far the biggest game in town, and no one can fill that gap at the moment.

Beyond that, the United States should get behind an initiative being pursued by the Bulgarian diplomat and U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East, Nickolay Mladenov, who is trying to build an alternative international mechanism that does not rely on either the Palestinian Authority or Hamas to get aid into Gaza and that would invest in key electricity and water infrastructure. Mladenov’s proposal bypasses internal Palestinian politics, which is causing the Palestinian Authority to hold up much of the aid that would otherwise go to Gaza, in an effort to squeeze Hamas. But this plan cannot work without Egyptian and Israeli willingness to allow the international community to move supplies into the Gaza Strip. It also needs financial support from other donors, especially the Gulf states. Here the United States can play a constructive role in pressing the parties to support Mladenov’s plan. He is the right person to pursue it, as all sides generally trust him and see him as an honest broker.

A two-state solution is the only long-term, viable possibility that can allow Israelis and Palestinians the opportunity to live together side by side in peace and security. And a Palestinian polity that reintegrates Gaza and the West Bank under one Palestinian leadership is the only long-term solution that is acceptable to the Palestinian people and their leaders. They are both worthy goals. But in the near term, given the current political situation, the first priority for the United States must be to stabilize Gaza before moving on to these tougher questions.</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser said in an interview published Sunday that the administration will soon present its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, with or without input from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In an interview published in the Arabic language Al-Quds newspaper, Jared Kushner appealed directly to Palestinians and criticized Abbas, who has shunned the Trump team over its alleged pro-Israel bias, particularly on the fate of contested Jerusalem.

The interview came out after a weeklong trip around the region by Kushner and Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt. The team met with leaders of Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the administration's proposals for a peace deal.

The Palestinians refused to meet with Kushner, and leaders have criticized the Trump negotiating team in recent days.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Kushner and Greenblatt on Saturday of trying to topple the Abbas-led West Bank autonomy government and dismantle the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees. On Sunday, Erekat doubled down on his criticism, telling Israel's Channel 10 that the American negotiators are "not neutral" and predicting their peace plan would fail.

Any peace plan would face major obstacles, including the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, internal Palestinian divisions, and recent cross-border violence between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that he met twice with Kushner and Greenblatt this weekend and discussed "how to solve the humanitarian situation in Gaza without strengthening Hamas."

It remains unclear how the Trump administration would proceed with a peace plan without Palestinian cooperation.

Kushner said the plan is "almost done," but offered scant details aside from the promise of economic prosperity. He made no mention of a Palestinian state arising alongside Israel, though he acknowledged that Arab partners support that goal.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza — territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and two years later, Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas' forces. Abbas now governs only small autonomous zones in the West Bank.

Kushner cast doubt on Abbas' ability to make a deal, alleging that the Palestinian leadership is "scared we will release our peace plan and the Palestinian people will actually like it" because it would offer them a better life.

"The global community is getting frustrated with Palestinian leadership and not seeing many actions that are constructive toward achieving peace," Kushner said. "There are a lot of sharp statements and condemnations, but no ideas or efforts with prospects of success."

Palestinian leaders have refused to meet with the Trump team since the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Jerusalem is an emotional issue at the epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel captured the city's eastern half, home to holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The annexation is not internationally recognized. Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future state.

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly," Kushner said.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh responded to Kushner's interview by restating that American efforts will yield no result if they bypass the Palestinian leadership, and if they are not aimed at an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Later in the day Israel's military said its aircraft carried out several strikes in Gaza in response to Palestinians launching "arson and explosive balloons."

Gaza's Health Ministry said three people were wounded. Local media and witnesses in Gaza said the injured were members of Hamas forces.

For weeks, Israel has been struggling to combat large fires caused by kites and balloons rigged with incendiary devices launched by Palestinians in Gaza that have destroyed forests, burned crops and killed wildlife and livestock.

The military said that Hamas is now orchestrating the flying fire bomb attacks and "will bear the consequences for its actions."</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser said in an interview published Sunday that the administration will soon present its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, with or without input from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In an interview published in the Arabic language Al-Quds newspaper, Jared Kushner appealed directly to Palestinians and criticized Abbas, who has shunned the Trump team over its alleged pro-Israel bias, particularly on the fate of contested Jerusalem.

The interview came out after a weeklong trip around the region by Kushner and Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt. The team met with leaders of Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the administration's proposals for a peace deal.

The Palestinians refused to meet with Kushner, and leaders have criticized the Trump negotiating team in recent days.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Kushner and Greenblatt on Saturday of trying to topple the Abbas-led West Bank autonomy government and dismantle the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees. On Sunday, Erekat doubled down on his criticism, telling Israel's Channel 10 that the American negotiators are "not neutral" and predicting their peace plan would fail.

Any peace plan would face major obstacles, including the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, internal Palestinian divisions, and recent cross-border violence between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that he met twice with Kushner and Greenblatt this weekend and discussed "how to solve the humanitarian situation in Gaza without strengthening Hamas."

It remains unclear how the Trump administration would proceed with a peace plan without Palestinian cooperation.

Kushner said the plan is "almost done," but offered scant details aside from the promise of economic prosperity. He made no mention of a Palestinian state arising alongside Israel, though he acknowledged that Arab partners support that goal.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza — territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and two years later, Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas' forces. Abbas now governs only small autonomous zones in the West Bank.

Kushner cast doubt on Abbas' ability to make a deal, alleging that the Palestinian leadership is "scared we will release our peace plan and the Palestinian people will actually like it" because it would offer them a better life.

"The global community is getting frustrated with Palestinian leadership and not seeing many actions that are constructive toward achieving peace," Kushner said. "There are a lot of sharp statements and condemnations, but no ideas or efforts with prospects of success."

Palestinian leaders have refused to meet with the Trump team since the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Jerusalem is an emotional issue at the epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel captured the city's eastern half, home to holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The annexation is not internationally recognized. Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future state.

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly," Kushner said.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh responded to Kushner's interview by restating that American efforts will yield no result if they bypass the Palestinian leadership, and if they are not aimed at an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Later in the day Israel's military said its aircraft carried out several strikes in Gaza in response to Palestinians launching "arson and explosive balloons."

Gaza's Health Ministry said three people were wounded. Local media and witnesses in Gaza said the injured were members of Hamas forces.

For weeks, Israel has been struggling to combat large fires caused by kites and balloons rigged with incendiary devices launched by Palestinians in Gaza that have destroyed forests, burned crops and killed wildlife and livestock.

The military said that Hamas is now orchestrating the flying fire bomb attacks and "will bear the consequences for its actions."</s>Cyprus is weighing up an Israeli request to process Gaza bound goods, either through the use of an existing port or the construction of a special pier, Cypriot officials said on Tuesday.



The idea of setting up a facility in Cyprus has been floated for years, and Israel recently made a request to explore the issue, Cypriot government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou told Reuters.





“It is an old issue which is now being re-discussed,” Prodromou said. “There will be contacts between the government and all interested parties in the region and, possibly, a decision will be taken. At the moment no decision has been taken. The request is being examined, it hasn’t been rejected.”He spoke just one day after Channel 2 reported that Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman had reached an initial agreement with Cyprus on such a plan, when he visited the country over the weekend.Cypriot Ambassador Thessalia-Salina Shambos cautioned that such an idea was still in its infancy and that no agreement had been reached on the matter.“We are not there yet,” Shambos told The Jerusalem Post.Any such plan, she added, would need additional agreements from other parties, such as Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations.“We are always ready to assist as a neighboring state that has excellent relations in the region. There are some ideas that have been floated but, of course, in order for them to be matured they require the consent or the agreement and cooperation of all stake holders,” Shambos said.At present, Gaza bound goods that arrive by sea, stop first in Israel ports. They are then trucked to the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza.The existing Gaza port is not large enough to handle cargo ships, and the international community is fearful about enlarging it until it can be assured that it will no be bombed in any future conflict between Israel and Hamas.Israel also maintains a naval and aerial blockade of Gaza. It also places security and other restricts on the entry of goods to Gaza though the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing.Israeli officials have drawn up plans for alternative passage of Gaza goods by sea, which would be in line with both Gaza’s needs and Israel’s security interests.Liberman has conditioned the idea of a Gaza bound Cyprus landing for goods on an agreement that would ensure that Hamas returns the remains of two Israeli soldiers and releases the three Israeli civilians held captive in Gaza.Any Cyprus idea would involve an Israeli monitoring system to ensure that weapons were not smuggled into Gaza.The story of a possible Cyprus port for Gaza’s goods was released amid intense efforts to alleviate humanitarian suffering in the Strip, whose two million Palestinian residents live on just four hours of electricity a day.The Trump Administration is working on a Gaza plan and its envoys Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt were in the region this last week and over the weekend to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Separately, UN Special Envoy to the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov met with Netanyahu on Tuesday to push for an immediate humanitarian plan for Gaza.The issue of a Gaza port or the Cyprus plan was not raised as Mladenov is looking for a solution that is much more immediate.The UN envoy has held an intense series of regional and international meetings in the last months.He met with Netanyahu as part of his ongoing efforts to support unity between the West Bank and Gaza, avoid another Hamas-Israel war, and to alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Gaza.To that end, he has sought international funding and agreements from Israel and the PA to help facilitate needed projects by allowing needed material to enter Gaza.Mladenov wants enhanced UN capacity and presence in Gaza to facilitate such projects.He is fully committed to supporting the restoration of the Strip to the full jurisdiction of the PA.Part of his list of priority projects include the upgrading and rebuilding the electricity grid and water infrastructure, including the creation of another water reservoir.In addition, he wants to see job creation, cash programs and monetary credit for existing businesses.At president, Israel supplies 125 kW of Gaza’s electricity, according to the spokesperson for the Office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.“In January 2018, the PA renewed their payments for the electricity provided to the Gaza Strip by Israel. This step brought an end to a long period of around a year during which the PA reduced these payments,” COGAT said.According to the Israeli NGO Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, Egypt also provides 20 MW of electricity, which makes up the 140 MW total that the Strip receives daily. “The amount of 140 MW is enough for approximately four hours of power followed by 12 hours of blackouts,” it said.Reuters contributed to this report.</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser said in an interview published Sunday that the administration will soon present its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, with or without input from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In an interview published in the Arabic language Al-Quds newspaper, Jared Kushner appealed directly to Palestinians and criticized Abbas, who has shunned the Trump team over its alleged pro-Israel bias, particularly on the fate of contested Jerusalem.

The interview came out after a weeklong trip around the region by Kushner and Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt. The team met with leaders of Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the administration's proposals for a peace deal.

The Palestinians refused to meet with Kushner, and leaders have criticized the Trump negotiating team in recent days.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Kushner and Greenblatt on Saturday of trying to topple the Abbas-led West Bank autonomy government and dismantle the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees. On Sunday, Erekat doubled down on his criticism, telling Israel's Channel 10 that the American negotiators are "not neutral" and predicting their peace plan would fail.

Any peace plan would face major obstacles, including the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, internal Palestinian divisions, and recent cross-border violence between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that he met twice with Kushner and Greenblatt this weekend and discussed "how to solve the humanitarian situation in Gaza without strengthening Hamas."

It remains unclear how the Trump administration would proceed with a peace plan without Palestinian cooperation.

Kushner said the plan is "almost done," but offered scant details aside from the promise of economic prosperity. He made no mention of a Palestinian state arising alongside Israel, though he acknowledged that Arab partners support that goal.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza — territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and two years later, Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas' forces. Abbas now governs only small autonomous zones in the West Bank.

Kushner cast doubt on Abbas' ability to make a deal, alleging that the Palestinian leadership is "scared we will release our peace plan and the Palestinian people will actually like it" because it would offer them a better life.

"The global community is getting frustrated with Palestinian leadership and not seeing many actions that are constructive toward achieving peace," Kushner said. "There are a lot of sharp statements and condemnations, but no ideas or efforts with prospects of success."

Palestinian leaders have refused to meet with the Trump team since the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Jerusalem is an emotional issue at the epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel captured the city's eastern half, home to holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The annexation is not internationally recognized. Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future state.

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly," Kushner said.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh responded to Kushner's interview by restating that American efforts will yield no result if they bypass the Palestinian leadership, and if they are not aimed at an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Later in the day Israel's military said its aircraft carried out several strikes in Gaza in response to Palestinians launching "arson and explosive balloons."

Gaza's Health Ministry said three people were wounded. Local media and witnesses in Gaza said the injured were members of Hamas forces.

For weeks, Israel has been struggling to combat large fires caused by kites and balloons rigged with incendiary devices launched by Palestinians in Gaza that have destroyed forests, burned crops and killed wildlife and livestock.

The military said that Hamas is now orchestrating the flying fire bomb attacks and "will bear the consequences for its actions."</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser said in an interview published Sunday that the administration will soon present its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, with or without input from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In an interview published in the Arabic language Al-Quds newspaper, Jared Kushner appealed directly to Palestinians and criticized Abbas, who has shunned the Trump team over its alleged pro-Israel bias, particularly on the fate of contested Jerusalem.

The interview came out after a weeklong trip around the region by Kushner and Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt. The team met with leaders of Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the administration's proposals for a peace deal.

The Palestinians refused to meet with Kushner, and leaders have criticized the Trump negotiating team in recent days.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Kushner and Greenblatt on Saturday of trying to topple the Abbas-led West Bank autonomy government and dismantle the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees. On Sunday, Erekat doubled down on his criticism, telling Israel's Channel 10 that the American negotiators are "not neutral" and predicting their peace plan would fail.

Any peace plan would face major obstacles, including the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, internal Palestinian divisions, and recent cross-border violence between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that he met twice with Kushner and Greenblatt this weekend and discussed "how to solve the humanitarian situation in Gaza without strengthening Hamas."

It remains unclear how the Trump administration would proceed with a peace plan without Palestinian cooperation.

Kushner said the plan is "almost done," but offered scant details aside from the promise of economic prosperity. He made no mention of a Palestinian state arising alongside Israel, though he acknowledged that Arab partners support that goal.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza — territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and two years later, Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas' forces. Abbas now governs only small autonomous zones in the West Bank.

Kushner cast doubt on Abbas' ability to make a deal, alleging that the Palestinian leadership is "scared we will release our peace plan and the Palestinian people will actually like it" because it would offer them a better life.

"The global community is getting frustrated with Palestinian leadership and not seeing many actions that are constructive toward achieving peace," Kushner said. "There are a lot of sharp statements and condemnations, but no ideas or efforts with prospects of success."

Palestinian leaders have refused to meet with the Trump team since the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Jerusalem is an emotional issue at the epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel captured the city's eastern half, home to holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The annexation is not internationally recognized. Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future state.

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly," Kushner said.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh responded to Kushner's interview by restating that American efforts will yield no result if they bypass the Palestinian leadership, and if they are not aimed at an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Later in the day Israel's military said its aircraft carried out several strikes in Gaza in response to Palestinians launching "arson and explosive balloons."

Gaza's Health Ministry said three people were wounded. Local media and witnesses in Gaza said the injured were members of Hamas forces.

For weeks, Israel has been struggling to combat large fires caused by kites and balloons rigged with incendiary devices launched by Palestinians in Gaza that have destroyed forests, burned crops and killed wildlife and livestock.

The military said that Hamas is now orchestrating the flying fire bomb attacks and "will bear the consequences for its actions."</s>JERUSALEM - US President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner on Sunday questioned the ability and willingness of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to make concessions for a peace agreement with Israel.

Kushner's remarks, made in a rare interview with Palestinian newspaper Al Quds, came as he and special envoy Jason Greenblatt were in the region to advance efforts to renew the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

The US duo have not met with Palestinian officials, who froze all contact with US officials following the Trump administration's December recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

"President Abbas says that he is committed to peace and I have no reason not to believe him," Kusnher said. "However, I do question how much President Abbas has the ability to, or is willing to, lean into

"He has his talking points which have not changed in the last 25 years. There has been no peace deal achieved in that time," Kushner said.

"To make a deal both sides will have to take a leap and meet somewhere between their stated positions. I am not sure President Abbas has the ability to do that."

Kushner and Greenblatt met on Friday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss "advancing the diplomatic process, developments in the region and the security and humanitarian situations in Gaza", according to the premier's office.

They held a second meeting Saturday night "to continue their discussions," the White House said.

The visit comes after a flare-up of hostilities between Israel and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Israel pounded Hamas targets in response to a barrage of rockets and mortar shells, while troops have killed over 130 Palestinians taking part in clashes on the fringes of demonstrations.

Speaking at his Sunday cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said the US officials "fully supported our position and actions to ensure the security of Israel and its civilians around Gaza".

The Palestinians have been infuriated by Trump's policies and see east Jerusalem as their future capital, insisting the status of the disputed city is an issue to be negotiated between them and the Israelis.

Senior Palestinian official and chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Sunday that Kushner's interview showed "there's nothing of substance" coming from the Trump Administration.

"Kushner represents a policy of dictation rather than negotiations. It is the Trump Administration that has walked away from the negotiations, from international law and UN resolutions," Erekat said.

Trump has called peace between Israel and the Palestinians the "ultimate deal" and has tasked Kushner with formulating a plan to that end.

Kushner - who has also visit Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia on the trip - told Al Quds they were "almost done" preparing the plan, which could be presented without Palestinian consent

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly," he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discusses the conflict with Gaza with the United Nations Special Coordinator to the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, who has been preparing humanitarian projects for Gaza.