No plan for confederation of Jordan, Israel and Palestine says US official

The long-awaited plan will likely be dead in the water when it is announced as the Palestinians have refused to negotiate

(FILES) This file photo shows a handout picture released by the Jordanian Royal Palace on January 29, 2018, of Jordan's King Abdullah II (R) meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas at the Al-Husseiniya Palace in Amman. - US officials working on a Middle East peace plan have asked Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas about forming a confederation with Jordan, Abbas told activists on September 2, 2018, according to one of them.
Abbas recounted the conversation he had with White House aides Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt during a meeting with Israeli peace activists in Ramallah, said Hagit Ofran of the Peace Now NGO, who attended. (Photo by Yousef ALLAN / Jordanian Royal Palace / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / JORDANIAN ROYAL PALACE / YOUSEF ALLAN" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
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The long-awaited United States Middle East peace plan will not see Jordan and Israel join Palestine in a confederation, US representative for international negotiations Jason Greenblatt said on Wednesday.

There have been reports that the plan would see Jordan, Israel and Palestine become a confederation state or that Amman would become the destination for Palestinians relocated from their homes.

However, Mr Greenblatt dismissed the claims, saying, “please don’t spread rumours,” in a tweet on Wednesday.

“Rumours that our peace vision includes a confederation between Jordan, Israel & the PA, or that the vision contemplates making Jordan the homeland for Palestinians, are incorrect,” he said. “King Abdullah & Jordan are strong US allies.”

This is not the first time US officials have dismissed the reports since Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said last year that the ideas had been floated.

US President Donald Trump has tipped that his son-in-law Jared Kushner, a senior advisor to the president, is drafting a peace plan but there remains no date for its publication.

However, the deal – when it eventually arrives – may well be dead in the water as Palestinian officials have refused to deal with the US administration over cuts to aid for Palestinians, the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the recognition of Israeli occupied Golan Heights – despite years of US and international policy to the contrary.