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US ‘Deal of Century’ nearing completion - Qatar's ex-premier

Anadolu Agency WORLD
Published May 15,2018
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The "Deal of the Century", a backchannel U.S.-backed Israel-Palestine peace plan, is now in the implementation phase with the support of "major Arab countries", Hamad bin Jassem Al Thani, a former Qatari prime minister, said.

Bin Jassem made the assertion in a series of Tuesday tweets in which he remarked on the relocation one day earlier of Washington's Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The U.S. administration has cryptically referred in the past to a "Deal of the Century" -- an alleged backchannel plan aimed at reaching a final settlement of the decades-long Mideast conflict.

Some observers, however, including bin Jassem, believe the plan -- if implemented -- will come at the expense of Palestinian rights.

"The 'Deal of the Century' is now being implemented step by step with the support of major Arab countries," bin Jassem tweeted on Tuesday.

"Tell me," he added, "what will the price be for this?"

The former prime minister did not name the "major Arab countries" to which he was referring.

"I assume that the price, no matter what it is, will not be equal to the abandonment of our national priorities and rights," he said.

"Unfortunately, the Arab world has entered a dark tunnel not only in terms of this issue -- despite its importance -- but in terms of all international and domestic issues," bin Jassem added.

"All the statements [on Israeli atrocities] … are in vain; they [Arab leaders] are complicit in what is happening," he asserted.

On Monday, scores of Palestinian demonstrators were martyred near the Gaza Strip's eastern border with Israel by intense cross-border Israeli army gunfire.

Turkey responded to the violence by recalling its ambassadors to both the U.S. and Israel "for consultations".

Since the Gaza rallies began on Mar. 30, more than 100 Palestinian demonstrators have been martyred by Israeli troops deployed along the other side of the border.