About a week before Israel plans to announce sovereignty in the Jordan Valley and settlements in Judea and Samaria, all eyes are on the White House. It wasn't supposed to be like this, because Washington wanted the decision to be made in Jerusalem. Still, Prime Minister Netanyahu didn't want to start the process in Israel, after committing himself to sovereignty back in January but being blocked publicly by Trump advisor Jared Kushner. So when it comes to the public discourse, Netanyahu has left those who oppose the historic move, on both the Right and the Left, alone on the field. The sovereignty bid is stuck in the mud, and now there is only one player who can pull it out – the one the plan itself is named after, US President Donald Trump.
In the month that has passed since the new government was formed, endless arguments have been put forth against sovereignty. There is no doubt that it is a risky move. However, it seems as if the US president has good reasons to give Israel a green light.
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Why should he? Because Israeli sovereignty will improve the credibility of the US and its president in both the region and the world, since Trump promised in January to allow the step.
Also, because this will be the first time in history that an American peace plan is implemented, and not shelves, as happened with the Rogers, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr., and Obama plans. Western Europe and the worldwide Left will see that there is a path other than the unrealistic conditions that they laid down ages ago, and that the sky won't fall. Or as Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer wrote, Israeli sovereignty will move the discourse from the realm of fantasy to reality.
In addition, the implementation of Israeli sovereignty even if it entails passing regional tension, will strengthen Israel in the Middle East, and when Israel is strong, so is the US. And what's more, implementing sovereignty will restore the US to its position of world leadership after the damage to its image caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Europe, Russia, and even China will see that the US still has the final word.
When it comes to the region, despite what leftist propaganda would have us believe, sovereignty will actually shore up peace. The Arab states will pay lip service, and in the short term will cut back their contact with Israel. But after a while, ties will be renewed, since the interests that brought them closer to the Jewish state in recent years in the first place will continue to guide them. It's no coincidence that despite what they are saying in an attempt to prevent sovereignty, they are continuing to send positive signals to Israel. Only last weekend, a Saudi newspaper identified with the Saudi royal family published an article by Rabbi Marc Schneier in favor of closer relations between Riyadh and Jerusalem.
So the bottom line is, implementing the Trump peace plan through the application of sovereignty will make peace a tangible thing. We can also assume that directly or indirectly, Trump will ultimately derive political benefit from it.
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