11.11.11 Critiques Trump's Peace Plan: "Neither a Plan, Nor a Path to Peace"
11.11.11, a Belgian umbrella organization for non-governmental organizations, has strongly criticized the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The organization argues that it's "not a plan for peace but a dangerous plan that carries the seeds of new conflict. Behind the beautiful words lies a text that strengthens Israel's position of power and further traps the Palestinian people."
Vagueness and Unilateral Nature of the Plan
11.11.11 highlights the plan's vagueness, noting it lacks "detailed maps, timelines, or control mechanisms." The plan sets conditions but fails to specify who determines whether they are met or what happens if Israel imposes unreasonable demands. According to general director Els Hertogen, "It is a one-sided 'peace plan' where one side of the negotiating table drafts and signs an agreement with itself, without the other side even having read the agreement."
"This recipe contains all the ingredients for delay, obstruction, and permanent impunity. What's more, it will lead to new escalation - not to lasting peace."
Concerns Over Repeated Mistakes
The organization also fears that the errors of the Oslo Accords will be repeated, "where 'temporary' Israeli security control over parts of Palestinian land turns out to be a code word for permanent Israeli occupation." This concern highlights the potential for the plan to perpetuate existing inequalities and injustices.
Omissions and Regional Impact
Furthermore, the plan omits any mention of the West Bank, Lebanon, or southern Syria. 11.11.11 points out that these areas are scenes of occupation and violence and states: "As long as that situation remains untouched, there can be no real peace." The organization suggests that a comprehensive solution must address the broader regional context.
Instability and Internal Disagreements
The plan is also deemed "unstable" due to divided reactions within the Israeli government, with far-right ministers immediately rejecting it, and Netanyahu interpreting it differently than Trump. According to 11.11.11, "This plan seems mainly written to force Hamas to reject it, in order to formally give the green light for Israel to finish the Gaza genocide. And even in the unlikely event that Hamas accepts this plan, in its current form, there is no guarantee that Israel will not resume the genocide after the release of the hostages".
A Call for a Just and Sustainable Solution
Els Hertogen summarizes the critique, stating: "This dangerous plan offers no lasting solution. It does not provide for a full withdrawal, no real guarantees, no end to the occupation, no prospect of the creation of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu explicitly repeated in the White House that there will never be a Palestinian state; Trump seemed to be fine with that." She concludes, "Sustainable peace can only come with a credible, binding, and just plan that respects international law, protects the rights of Palestinians and Israelis, and is supported by mutual acceptance and guarantees for fundamental human rights - not by power politics from above."
