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Trump won't release peace plan before Israel's election

Trump and Kushner at the G7. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images

President Trump has decided not to publish his Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, or parts of it, before Israel's Sept. 17 elections, White House special envoy Jason Greenblatt said in a tweet.

Why it matters: Trump has spoken twice about this issue in the last 2 weeks, and he had raised the possibility the plan would be at least partially released before the elections. That could have had a big influence on the outcome of the elections and on the formation of the next governing coalition. The president and his Middle East “peace team," headed by Jared Kushner, had several discussions on this issue before deciding to wait, a White House official tells me.

The latest: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu told a campaign rally today he thinks the plan will be presented very soon after the elections, and claimed he will be in a much stronger position to negotiate with Trump than his leading political opponents.

“We heard tonight that President Trump’s deal of the century will be presented to the world only after the elections. I have a good reason to believe that it will be presented very soon after the elections. Who do you want to run the negotiations with President Trump on the deal of the century? Myself as the head of a right-wing government or [Benny] Gantz and [Yair] Lapid? Do you think Trump or [Vladimir] Putin will be impressed by Lapid or Gantz? This is the question of those elections because this diplomatic issue is going to be in front of us within weeks. Who is going to lead Israel in this critical moment? These two who can barley run their own party?”
— Netnyahu

Go deeper

Rebecca Falconer
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

In photos: Protests outside fortified capitols draw only small groups

Armed members of the far-right extremist group the Boogaloo Bois near the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing on Jan. 17. About 20 protesters showed up, AP notes. Photo: Seth Herald/AFP via Getty Images

Small groups of protesters rallied outside fortified statehouses over the weekend ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday.

The big picture: Some protests attracted armed members of far-right extremist groups but there were no reports of clashes, as had been feared. The National Guard and law enforcement outnumbered demonstrators, as security was heightened around the U.S. to avoid a repeat of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots, per AP.

See photos (<1 min. read)Arrow
Alayna Treene, author of Sneak Peek
6 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Trump to issue at least 100 pardons and commutations before leaving office

Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump plans to issue at least 100 pardons and commutations on his final full day in office Tuesday, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.

Why it matters: This is a continuation of the president's controversial December spree that saw full pardons granted to more than two dozen people — including former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, longtime associate Roger Stone and Charles Kushner, the father of Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

  • The pardons set to be issued before Trump exits the White House will be a mix of criminal justice ones and pardons for people connected to the president, the sources said.
  • CNN first reported this news.

Go deeper: Convicts turn to D.C. fixers for Trump pardons

Stef W. Kight, Kadia Goba
7 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Schumer's m(aj)ority checklist

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Capitalizing on the Georgia runoffs, achieving a 50-50 Senate and launching an impeachment trial are weighty to-dos for getting Joe Biden's administration up and running on Day One.

What to watch: A blend of ceremonies, hearings and legal timelines will come into play on Tuesday and Wednesday so Chuck Schumer can actually claim the Senate majority and propel the new president's agenda.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow