Demolition, displacement, dispossession, depopulation, death
On January 28, 2020, US President Donald Trump, accompanied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced a so-called “Peace to Prosperity” plan, calling for annexation of the Jordan Valley and the illegal Israeli settlements in the Palestinian West Bank, and seeking full Israeli control over Jerusalem. A little more than two months earlier, On November 18, 2019, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had declared that the Trump administration does not view Israeli settlements in the West Bank as inconsistent with international law, deviating from decades of US policy upheld by both Republican and Democratic administrations.
On November 21, 2019, a short three days after Pompeo’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted on charges of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust.
The Trump administration’s “peace plan,” and announcement about the settlements—consistent with ongoing efforts to heavily increase support for Israel and greenlight settlement expansion in the West Bank—appear to have been, at least in part, signature Trump distraction tactics: ‘look over here at our support for Netanyahu’s (apparently no longer illegal) expansion of settlements, not over there at the same guy who is the first Israeli prime minister to be indicted while in office.’ And, ‘look over here at our “peace plan,” not over there at Trump’s impeachment.’
