Oxfam reaction to Middle East Peace plan announcement

In response to the release of the Trump administration’s Israeli-Palestinian “Peace Plan,” Noah Gottschalk, Oxfam America’s Humanitarian Policy Lead said, “The Trump administration’s proposal isn’t a peace deal - it’s a roadmap to permanent occupation. By legitimizing ongoing rights violations and entrenching existing political divisions, it further dims the prospects for peace. It also undermines any remaining hopes for the United States to serve as a credible broker between Israelis and Palestinians in the future. Oxfam calls on Members of Congress and Presidential candidates to swiftly and adamantly reject this proposal.

“As a humanitarian organization working in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel for decades, Oxfam sees the stark realities that Palestinian families face every day. The construction of Israeli settlements and the demolition of Palestinian homes, schools, and other community infrastructure have reached a breath-taking pace and Palestinian unemployment rates are skyrocketing. Many Palestinians are unable to move freely or access essential goods and services like food, water and fuel. The Trump administration’s proposal signals US government acceptance and even approval of what we have witnessed on the ground for years: the fading hope for a just peace that guarantees security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

“We are concerned that this plan could now spark an escalation of violence that would threaten lives and limit our ability to provide vital assistance to vulnerable communities. The families that we work with across the region want peace so they can study, work, and live without fear, but sadly, they will likely be the ones paying the highest price.

“There is a possible path to sustainable peace if we listen, learn, and bring more voices to the table. Peace should be rooted in the recognition of the human rights and dignity of all Israelis and Palestinians, as well a firm foundation in international law. No peace deal will ever succeed unless it is people centered. Rather than move toward that vision, the Trump administration’s plan makes the prospects for peace feel more remote than perhaps ever before."