US Deputy Consul General statement on Economic Solutions

The US consulate in Jerusalem  issued  a statement clarifying US Deputy Consul in Jerusalem, Mike Hankey,  statement saying it was a result of a linguistic error.

The consulate added that consul spoke in Arabic and did not mean what was issued,  clarifying that Intended quote was: “there cannot be a political solution without progress on the economic front.”

PNN published a report  on Friday afternoon quoting US Deputy Consul General in Jerusalem Mike Hankey saying in a television interview at a USAID-sponsored ceremony that his country realizes there will be no political solution.

“We continue to focus on supporting the private sector because we are aware that there will be no lasting solution to the conflict but an economic solution: we want to see opportunities for the Palestinians to provide them and their families with decent lives,” US Vice Consul Hankey said in a public and clear statement.

The consulate also assure that the US administration remains committed to achieving a deal to bring peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. The US government is seeking opportunities for economic growth that improve Palestinian livelihoods and bring that peace a step closer.

Many Palestinian politicians and journalists said that this was an explicit endorsement by the US administration of Israel’s rejection of the peace process, where Israel is putting obstacles in the way of international efforts to revive peace negotiations.

A senior Palestinian source said, in an interview with the Palestinian News Network (PNN) commenting on the US deputy consul’s statement, that this statement reflects the reality of the US position, and pointed out that the United States is working to support Israel at various levels, It is the first time, however, that la US official stated in public that there will be no lasting solution to the conflict adding that what his country it is offering an economic solution that will help the Palestinians improve their living conditions.

The source added that this statement, which may have come spontaneously in an attempt to show US support for the Palestinians, reflects publicly the reality of the situation and US efforts to promote the Israeli position, not only when it comes to the conflict but also at the regional and international levels, stressing that this statement must be noted with interest especially in light of all previous statements emphasizing the intention of the United States of America to put forward a US vision of peace.

The source said that this position is part of a series of measures, steps and positions that require the Palestinian leadership consideration, stressing that this statement is a dangerous signal before the US administration launched its peace plan,

He called on the American Consul General to issue a statement to clarify since Palestinians are seeking to end the military Occupation of their Territory and to achieve their right to self-determination. they are not interested in an economic solution to their political conflict and they are beggars at the gates of the Trump administration or any other country.

US officials in the Trump administration have said on more than one occasion that they are working on a formula for a US deal that would lead to a regional peace known as the Century Deal.

The economy would play a major role, with US envoys working to visit the region throughout the year.

The US vision for peace between Palestinians and Israelis will be presented mid-next month.

Source: PNN