Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

3 days ago

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

3 days ago

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

3 days ago

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

3 days ago
Trump's Mideast Peace Envoy Set to Leave the White House
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
September 5, 2019

Share

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration official tasked with developing a plan to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians is leaving the White House.

The White House says the peace plan is complete but will not be released until at least after this month’s Israeli elections. The plan already is facing rejection by Palestinian officials. 
Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s special representative for international negotiations, will depart the administration in the coming weeks, the White House said Thursday. The former Trump Organization lawyer had been leading the effort to devise the oft-delayed peace plan. His departure casts further doubt on the proposal’s future.
The White House says the peace plan is complete but will not be released until at least after this month’s Israeli elections. The plan already is facing rejection by Palestinian officials, who object to strengthening ties between the U.S. and Israel.
In a tweet, President Donald Trump thanked Greenblatt for his service and said that Greenblatt’s “dedication to Israel and to seeking peace between Israel and the Palestinians won’t be forgotten.” He said Greenblatt is pursuing work in the private sector.
Greenblatt worked in concert with White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, on the plan. Kushner praised Greenblatt and said “work has helped develop the relationships between Israel and its neighbors as he is trusted and respected by all of the leaders throughout the region.”

The Team’s Only Visible Accomplishment

Greenblatt advocated for decisions to relocate the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights — moves that drew skepticism from Palestinians and Arab nations.
Apart from alienating the Palestinian leadership and securing the tacit support from some Gulf Arab states, the team’s only visible accomplishment has been the release of an ambitious $50 billion economic proposal for the West Bank, Gaza and Palestinian communities in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.
That plan was rolled out a workshop in Bahrain this year that was boycotted by the Palestinian Authority. Despite the plan’s lofty goals, no money for the projects it envisions has been secured.
Greenblatt had stepped up his public engagement before the announcement of the economic plan, but it was perhaps most notable for criticizing Palestinian leaders on Twitter for their rejection of the proposal and the as-yet unseen political portion of the peace plan.

The Peace Effort Initially Operated Largely in Isolation From the Rest of the U.S.

In contrast to Democratic and Republican predecessors, the White House has stopped promoting a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians and avoided condemning Israeli settlement expansion on occupied lands.

“He ruined the credibility of the United States and destroyed the peace process.” — Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
The Jerusalem move, followed by cuts of hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, prompted the Palestinians to sever most ties with the U.S.
Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the Palestinians will “shed no tears” over Greenblatt’s departure.
“He ruined the credibility of the United States and destroyed the peace process,” Abu Rdeneh said.
The White House peace effort initially operated largely in isolation from the rest of the U.S. foreign policy apparatus. But as Greenblatt’s departure has approached, the White House has begun integrating it with the State Department’s Iran team.
Greenblatt’s role is expected to be assumed by Kushner aide Avi Berkowitz and Brian Hook, the State Department’s special representative for Iran.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

Israel Strikes Pound Gaza, Killing 60, Ahead of US Talks on Ceasefire

Jury in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Sex Trafficking Trial to Start Deliberating

29 minutes ago

Robinhood Launches Tokens Allowing EU Users to Trade in US Stocks

38 minutes ago

CA’s Population Shrank in Trump’s First Immigration Crackdown. It Could Happen Again

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. It hasn’t happened yet, but California is bracing for a de...

6 seconds ago

LA Protesters, Day Without Immigrants
7 seconds ago

CA’s Population Shrank in Trump’s First Immigration Crackdown. It Could Happen Again

A hooded man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. (Reuters File)
48 seconds ago

Iran-Linked Hackers May Target US Firms and Critical Infrastructure, US Government Warns

A pumpjack operates at the Vermilion Energy site in Trigueres, France, June 14, 2024. (Reuters/Benoit Tessier)
25 minutes ago

Oil Prices Slip on Easing Middle East Risks

Prosecutor Emily Johnson questions rapper Kid Cudi as he testifies at Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., May 22, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. (Reuters File)
29 minutes ago

Jury in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Sex Trafficking Trial to Start Deliberating

The logo of Robinhood Markets, Inc. is seen at a pop-up event on Wall Street after the company's IPO in New York City, U.S., July 29, 2021. (Reuters File)
38 minutes ago

Robinhood Launches Tokens Allowing EU Users to Trade in US Stocks

Palestinians inspect the damage at an UNRWA school sheltering displaced people that was hit in an Israeli air strike on Sunday, in Gaza City, June 30, 2025. (Reuters/Mahmoud Issa)
50 minutes ago

Israel Strikes Pound Gaza, Killing 60, Ahead of US Talks on Ceasefire

51 minutes ago

Controversial Climate Rule That Could Raise Gas Prices About to Take Effect

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett walks back after a TV interview outside the White House in Washington, U.S., June 27, 2025. (Reuters File)
1 hour ago

US to Restart Trade Negotiations With Canada Immediately, White House Says

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend