Malaysia’s Mahathir says Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan ‘grossly unjust’

The PM said the US president’s ‘deal of the century’ hands Jerusalem on a silver platter to Israel

Mahathir warned the proposal, unveiled last month, will only bring more conflict to the region

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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Photo: DPA

Published: 5:31pm, 8 Feb 2020Updated: 5:32pm, 8 Feb 2020

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said the proposed Israel-Palestine peace deal that was announced by US President Donald Trump is “utterly unacceptable” and “grossly unjust.”

The plan, dubbed the “deal of the century” by Trump, hands the holy city of Jerusalem on a silver platter to Israel in absolute disregard for the feelings of millions of Muslims and Christians worldwide, Mahathir said in a speech in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

“This deal will only bring more conflict to the region, and will antagonise billions of people around the world,” Mahathir said at the third conference of The League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds.

Trump unveiled his proposal at a White House event last month alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Palestinian officials weren’t consulted on the proposal. The White House approach leading to the plan has long been criticised internationally for providing Israel with quick wins while making concessions to the Palestinians contingent on a list of milestones.