Global economic thinker Jeffrey Sachs stated that “We must speak very clearly and powerfully with the aim of changing the course of events,” pointing out that the next 72 hours are crucial—referring to the vote in the UN Security Council on the draft resolution presented by the United States regarding President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
Sachs’s remarks came during the Al-Masry Al-Youm Intellectual Encounters event, titled “The Future of Palestine in Light of the Sharm El Sheikh Agreement,” which was moderated by the Chairman of Al-Masry Al-Youm, Mohamed Salmawy, and attended by an elite group of politicians, diplomats, thinkers, researchers, journalists, and media figures.
He continued: “We stand here at a very important moment. Over the next 72 hours, the Security Council will discuss President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which has been submitted as a proposal to the Council.”
The global economic thinker added that this is not a peace plan and does little to advance peace; rather, it is considered a continuation of the imperial process.
He explained that if this proposal is passed by the Security Council, it will be tantamount to the complete destruction of justice and peace for the Palestinian people and the region in general.
Sachs asserted that it would be better not to pass this proposal, adding: “We can anticipate better outcomes than this suggestion, which is to welcome the State of Palestine as a member of the United Nations, and based on this, peace can be built for the Palestinian people and the region.” He noted that the entire world is horrified by the massacres committed by Israel for more than two full years.
The economic thinker pointed out that the American people, by a large majority—about 70 percent—favor US recognition of the State of Palestine, and the same percentage objects to Israel’s actions.
In this context, he indicated that Trump does not speak for the American people, adding that the potential resolution, presented as a broad peace process led by the US President, will actually grant him numerous authorities over Gaza, which is no less than the British Mandate process.
Sachs stressed that Zohran Mamdani speaks for the American people more than Trump, suggesting that Mamdani could even become the next President of the US.
Sachs indicated that if this American proposal is passed in the Security Council, the will of the Palestinian people will be stripped away for at least a coming generation. He elaborated: “They want a new Nakba (Catastrophe) for Palestine and control over all its parts, and this is the adopted policy followed by the government of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.”
He said that the Israeli Prime Minister announced in September during his speech at the UN that “there will be no Palestinian state,” and this is his country’s policy.
He stated: “Of course, this does not mean there won’t be a Palestinian state, but it means there won’t be a state supported by Israel, and the US support for Israeli massacres means there will be no effective Palestinian state,” noting that Washington holds the veto, not Tel Aviv.
Sachs revealed that Israel’s illegal actions and killing of Palestinians are carried out with US support, explaining that what is being witnessed today is a continuation of the imperialism that began with Britain and subsequently the US, which delivers injustice and the absence of justice to the Palestinian people.
Double standards
The global economic thinker continued: “One may be shocked by the double standards practiced by Britain, which promised Palestine to the Arabs, then to France, and then to the Jews. Britain promised land it did not own to multiple parties, and we are now, after more than 100 years, still faced with this dilemma that must be solved.”
Sachs touched upon the Ben-Gurion Plan which aims to expand Israeli borders, noting that when the Likud Party was established, its slogan was “Israel from the River to the Sea,” and that the only entity intended to exist within these borders is the State of Israel.
This strategy nullifies any vision for a Palestinian state and is the foundation and strategy adopted by Netanyahu and his party.
“It is correct to say that perhaps there were partial exceptions with Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Barak, but there were no serious attempts to reach a political solution to this crisis, and Israel relied on the continuous support of the US,” he affirmed.
Sachs stated that Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal and a perpetrator of genocide, differing from others in his brutality and barbarism. However, what makes him unique is the clear strategy for war he has followed as a method to achieve his goal of Israeli control over Palestinian territories and other lands in the region.
He also addressed the Allon Plan concerning Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which created a new reality on the ground.
Sachs suggested that the conclusion in fighting armed groups opposed to Israel is reached through subjugating the governments that support these groups. He noted that seven wars were fought in Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, and Syria—countries that support these groups—with US involvement.
Sachs also stressed that the US is not good at choosing the right timing.
After the Iraq War, they did not account for the attacks they faced. He continued that Israel was the cause of the wars in Iraq and Libya.
The Iraq War was based on false claims to eliminate weapons of mass destruction, but in reality, it was driven by a public relations campaign pushed by Netanyahu with the aim of overthrowing President Saddam Hussein, who supported anti-Israel groups.
The economic thinker explained that former US President Barack Obama did not know the reason for the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but this matter was driven by Israel.
What was supposed to be a quick operation lasted for 14 years, he added.
He referred to the recent visit by the transitional Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara to the White House, noting American surprise at the matter. However, what Trump gained was a new military base in Damascus, which suggests that it is no surprise that al-Shara was placed by the US and Israel.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
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