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Global Geopolitical Series: Arab league pledges $100 million support to Palestine after reportedly rejecting ‘deal of the century’

President Donald Trump’s ‘deal of the century’ aimed at securing a peace agreement in decades-long dispute between Israelis and Palestinians isn’t impressing the Arab League, a regional organization of 22 countries from the Middle East and North Africa that includes several key U.S. allies like Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. At least that is the message that came from this week’s meeting of Arab League finance ministers in Cairo, on Sunday.

At the meeting, Arab League ministers denounced the so-called ‘deal of the century’ over its failure to address key Palestinian issues such as recognizing Palestinian rights to Jerusalem. According to some of the league ministers, the peace plan which is being developed by president Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who the President handpicked to address the issue, is likely to fall short of securing a long-standing peace in the region.

At the meeting, there were not just condemnation for the deal, the ministers announced $100 million per month aid package to plug the hole in the Palestinian budget, as Israel blocked tax transfers, and United States reducing aid to PA. Israel has reportedly collected taxes on behalf of the PA (Palestinian Authority) but withheld as much as $138 million in response to payments made to political prisoners jailed over alleged attacks on Israeli troops.

While president Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, he has been saying to media and to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel would have to make a significant compromise as the recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over Jerusalem has been a gift. However, at this point, it is not clear what compromises Israel will make to sweeten the deal for the PA, whose leaders have so far refused to sit down with the United States as part of the peace negotiations especially after the Jerusalem recognition. In response, the United States has withdrawn millions of dollars’ worth of aid to PA and to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees) prompting other organizations, and nations such as the European Union and Arab League to take up steps like last Sunday’s to plug the hole.

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