Former Israeli Prime Minister Rejects Trump’s Peace Plan

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: The actual fact is that you are going to be speaking to Mahmoud Abbas with whom you did negotiate and the government at Israel has actually tried urged you not to come and do this. So, tell us why it’s so important.

EHUD OLMERT, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The government of Israel didn’t — the government of Israel criticized me.

AMANPOUR: The ambassador did.

OLMERT: But I’m in an opposition to the Israeli prime minister. So, it’s part now of the political campaign in Israel, they say many things. I don’t want to refer to it, certainly not when I’m here. The main thing is very simple. There is a plan which was presented by President Trump. I had a different plan. It’s not new. Everyone knows it. You know all the details of it because we discussed it here on this program many times, which was different. But I’m not the prime minister now. And unfortunately, the plan that I presented then, unfortunately, at the last minute, was not accepted by — was not rejected, but was not accepted by the Palestinians. And therefore, we didn’t conclude it. Now, there is a plan by the president. I know, of course, the position of the Palestinian Authority and I know the position of many Israelis. But there is one thing which is important and which I think is something that we have to look at. The plan of President Trump talks about a two-state solution. If indeed a two-state solution is a basic commitment of the plan of President Trump, then there is something that can be pursued here, because this is the ultimate goal that led me, that guided me and that guided my negotiations with President Abbas. So, I’m going to speak shortly with President Abbas and we will — I’ll share with him my observations and what is the most important thing, which has actually convinced me that I should speak with President Abbas, is that there is only one partner for peace. Now, the peace plan which was presented by President Trump, which is the deal of a century, as he presents it, needs a partner in the Palestinian side. Who will be the partner? There is only one that I know based on my experience, I’m dealing with these issues for tens of years, there is only one partner which, I think, is prepared to make peace with Israel. Unfortunately for the time being, not exactly according to our expectations, there are differences. It has to be sorted out in a direct manner in negotiations, but there is only one partner, and I want to recognize the important position of President Mahmoud Abbas as the only partner for peace. Because if we want to implement the deal of a century, we need to have a partner and there is no other than Mahmoud Abbas.