Jordan PLO & Hamas revise Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine Plan

The Saudi-based Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine plan (Saudi Plan) - initially published in Al Arabiya News on 8 June 2022 - has been revised in a later document containing amendments that appear to have been made at the request of and agreed to by Jordan, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Hamas – the three parties most affected if the Saudi Plan is successfully implemented.

The revised version has not been published in Al Arabiya News or on any other news site. It is written in Arabic – but an English translation – a copy of which is in the writer's possession - is very informative in clarifying certain parts of the original version which were apparently vague or unacceptable to Jordan, the PLO and Hamas.

The Saudi Plan calls for Jordan, Gaza and part of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) to be merged into one territorial entity to be called the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine.

This plan trashes the creation of an independent Palestinian Arab State between Israel and Jordan – the solution proposed by:

• The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative,
• The United Nations - after adopting Security Council Resolution 2334 in 2016,
• The 2020 Trump Peace Plan - and
• Jordan and the PLO since the signing of the 1993 Oslo Accords

The major changes to the published version of the Saudi Plan made in the revised version are:

1. The area of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) to be included in the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine - approximately 70% in the published version - has been reduced to about 30% in the revised version.

This concession would purportedly weaken Israel's claim to sovereignty in the Jordan Valley– 87% of which is situated in Area C – currently under Israel's full administrative and security control.

The possibility that Israel could regain sovereignty in up to 90% of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) for the first time in 3000 years - with Jordan, PLO and Hamas consensus - is a potential game changer.

2. The Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine - will be under Hashemite rule. The original version did not designate who would be its ruler.

3. Important changes have been made in relation to Jerusalem: