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U.S. May Delay Rollout of Israeli-Palestinian Peace Plan
(Jerusalem Post) Michael Wilner - The U.S. is engaged in an internal discussion over the timing and method of launching its Middle East peace plan. White House officials may delay its rollout into the fall or even beyond if necessary due to current unfavorable circumstances, the Jerusalem Post has learned. The plan itself is essentially complete. "Releasing it at a time when the substance can be accepted by the maximum number of players or participants is...important," a senior official said Wednesday. "You can't put something out where everybody says, 'Ah, this is dead on arrival,'" the official continued. The Palestinian leadership cut off contact with the White House and dismissed any future role for Trump in the peace process after the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December, and moved the U.S. Embassy there. Trump aides would prefer that PA leaders express a willingness to engage the effort before the roll out. U.S. officials said this week they might wait to release the plan until the PA resumes contact. "To the extent that we delay it...it's because it's not the right time in terms of launching it," a senior U.S. official said.