Jordan deserves compensation

From the sound and looks of things surrounding the "deal of the century", using the "bribery" card to lure recalcitrant Arab states could be a key component of the US tactics behind it. When all fails, Washington is projected to offer untold amounts of money to key Arab countries in order to win their support to the scheme. If that turns out to be true, then the whole foundation of the "deal" will be founded on fraud and deceit.

Dandling offers to pour huge investments into Arab countries willing to lend support to the deal is certainly President Donald Trump's way to win support for his policies. Trump is, first and foremost, a businessman and knows well the language and tools of the business community. Yet, Arab countries cannot be bought or sold for the sake of a deal that is patently unfair and illegitimate, as it is projected to avoid endorsing the principled positions of the Palestinians or the Arab countries which are closest to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict since its inception. No doubt Arab capitals are already on guard against any such ploy to win their support to the deal.

On the other hand, pledging economic support to the fledgling Palestinian state and the Arab countries that have been in the forefront of states lending support to the Palestinian case and incurring huge expenses supporting the Palestinian people on its soil or in the West Bank is certainly a welcome feature of the deal. That much should be incorporated into any fair and equitable deal for solving the Palestinian crisis.

Per capita, among Arab countries, Jordan stands out as the biggest economic supporter of the Palestinians ever since 1947, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians became refugees in the West Bank or crossed the River Jordan into Jordan in the hundreds of thousands. If there is any country that contributed so much to the Palestinians and their cause, it is Jordan. Jordan deserves "compensation" under the "deal", if and when it is perfected and comes to fruition in a fair and legitimate manner. The economic dimension of the "deal" is very critical and must be carefully considered. Yet, the bigger question is the political features of the "deal”. Until they are fully exposed, judgment on the “deal” must wait.

It has been reported that the "deal" will be announced after the holy month of Ramadan. The Palestinians, and their Arab supporters, are in no mood for unreasonable compromises, neither before, nor during or after Ramadan. Why it is taking the Trump administration so long to come forward with their road map for the settlement of the Palestinian problem is an open question. Yet, one thing is clear until now: procrastination over the disclosure of Trump's deal suggests that there is something wrong with it. Has it been a balanced and fair deal it would have been disclosed a long time ago.

Yet with all fairness, final judgment must be put on hold until it is released. The drafters of the deal know by now the qualms and anxieties of the parties. No doubt the offer is not going to be on the basis of take it or leave it. The best scenario for it is to present it as an option subject to negotiations. If this is the case, then let us all wait until it is made public.