President Donald Trump and his administration have been promising to announce what has been called, ironically, the “ultimate deal” for Israel and Palestine. It is a proposition for “peace” that violates the most basic requirements for a just and sustainable solution, flouts international law, contradicts the global consensus on peace (which in itself constitutes a major compromise by the Palestinians), and even departs from the declared policies of several previous US administrations.

The “ultimate deal” suffers from multiple fatal flaws and misconceptions that several successive US administrations have repeatedly failed to recognise. The spirit of the Palestinian people cannot be broken or brought into submission; nor will we ever succumb to external pressure and blackmail. To expect us to surrender our rights and freedom in exchange for a mythical “economic peace” is nothing short of a flight of fancy.