The address was on the wall, but in Ramallah and Gaza refused to read it • For decades, the Palestinians expected the world to force Israel into an order that it would collapse - until finally the world grew tired and Abu Mazen was left alone with Hamas • The Arab response to the century plan left the Palestinians in shock • Commentary

• A-Sisi, Abu Mazen and Prince Ben Salman // Photos: AP, AP

The Palestinians were quick to kick off Trump's century plan and call it "the slap of the century," but continue to deny their own contribution to its formation. The decades-long expectation for the publication of an international plan to force Israel into a sovereign Palestinian state over the entire West Bank, and a massive return of refugees to collapse the foundations of the Zionist state, were suddenly overthrown and replaced by another plan, which in their view is the worst of all.

Admittedly, the stubborn Palestinian entanglement throughout the claims they made, and their refusal to compromise on the "minimum conditions," seemingly rested on two solid foundations: the support of world states, including the pro-Arab bloc in the UN, and the steadfast dawning spirit they received from Arab states. This week, to their dismay, it became clear to them that these two elements had collapsed, and at the very least, deep cracks were emanating from them.

So how did it suddenly happen that the European Union, which has always been in the Palestinian view of a "balancing factor" vis-à-vis "a sympathetic US government for Israel" suddenly welcomes the plan and does not come out against it? And how did European leaders again not rush to stand as one man behind the decisions of the international community, which were the main refuge of the Palestinians?

Gaza demonstrations against century plan // Photo: IPA

And what caused the dramatic upheaval in the Arab bloc's position, which only 73 years ago sent military forces to thwart the implementation of the "partition plan" for two countries, which was a very bad and dangerous plan for Israel, and yet this week three ambassadors on his behalf sent the White House to launch a partition plan, which is good Is Israel apparently very bad for Palestinians?

If they had not entrenched themselves in the wrong concept, the Palestinians should have noticed that the upheaval in the Arab position was not so dramatic and sudden, but the result of a gradual change: in 1967, in the bow in Sudan, it was determined that there would never be Arab recognition in Israel, no peace with it and no negotiation. But in Beirut, in 2002, it was already decided that Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and the resolution of the refugee problem would bring an end to the conflict with the Arab world, peace and full normalization. And in recent years, even before the centennial plan was born, several Arab states from the Sunni bloc have already begun to normalize their relations with Israel "under the table."

Europeans are fed up and not just them. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a thorn in the forefront of most Arab countries that face their own difficult problems. Although only three Arab country ambassadors attended the White House ceremony - many Sunni bloc leaders now believe that once Israel accepted the two-state principle, even in less favorable conditions to Palestinians, Abu Mazen must not refuse and immediately renew the dialogue with the Americans.

White House history: Trump and Netanyahu present century plan // Photo: White House spokesmen

At the weekend, Arab foreign ministers will meet for an emergency meeting at Abu Mazen's request. In the public speeches, support for the Palestinian position may still be heard. But behind the scenes, they will propose that he move toward a solution and move away from the idea of ​​the armed struggle that Hamas is proposing, to a delegation that he - Abu Mazen - decided to send to Gaza "to unite the ranks" in this emergency for the Palestinian people.

On the sidelines, the impression is that the US has put in a fair bit of effort to prepare the ground in the moderate Arab world for the release of the plan. The fact that the Saudi detainee, as we first reported here a few days ago, tried to convince Abu Mazen that "no disaster will happen" if the Palestinian capital Get up in Abu Dis, proving that he was at least a secret partner to some of the program's details.

However, despite some persuasion efforts by some Arab leaders, it does not appear that a Palestinian partner will soon find President Trump's peace plan. Israel would do well if, despite Abu Mazen's staunch opposition, to call on the Palestinians to enter into negotiations on the basis of the plan and at the same time - act to reassure the Jordanian king who secretly supports the idea of ​​applying Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, but is very disturbed by the implications of this move for the stability of the kingdom.