Ambassador Kelly Craft
Permanent Representative
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
New York, New York
January 30, 2020
AS DELIVERED
QUESTION: [INAUDIBLE]
AMBASSADOR CRAFT: You know, I’m not going to prejudge, because I, nothing’s happened as of yet, but I am open to conversation with the Palestinian PR. This is an opportunity, it’s a very solid opportunity for peace in the region. I think it’s, they have to want peace as much as we do, actually, more than we do. And I think that, in the days to come, that we’ll be able to work with the countries that were very positive and hopefully have more dialogue and I’m open to conversation with Mansour.
QUESTION: What is there in this deal for the Palestinians to like though? If you look at all the deals that have come up in the past, in percentage terms the divisions this give the Palestinians less than any other proposed deal? Doesn’t this decision reward Israel for illegally taking Palestinian land over many decades.
AMBASSADOR CRAFT: You know, I think, I think what you see is a dialogue that’s become normal, and we need to move away from that dialogue because it’s not normal and we need to focus on the Palestinian, the children, the future of a Palestinian state and making them economically stable, giving, you know, education choices, making certain that their healthcare is stable, and, you know, this is a plan we are proposing. It is up to them to negotiate, the two, Israelis and Palestinians.
[INAUDIBLE]
You know we are offering them a plan, and this is an opportunity that they have to take and negotiate. Thank you. Thanks.
QUESTION: [INAUDIBLE]
AMBASSADOR CRAFT: You know, I’m no going to prejudge what we’re going to discuss in the council because today is Libya, but, what I am going to say is I’m open for conversation and we are just going to be able to promote this plan. It is solid. It’s an opportunity. It’s a four year, so it’s going to be obviously taken slow. It’s an opportunity, I believe, for the first time ever, to have peace in the Middle East region.
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