"Benny [Gantz] appointed me, without anyone knowing, to prepare for [then-US President Donald] Trump's 'deal of the century,'" Eshel told Maariv, referring to current Defense Minister Benny Gantz, chair of the National Unity party.
"This was in the days of [former Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's rotation government."
Eshel added that, "We knew everything," about the proposed peace plan. "It came to light in that visit by Gantz to the White House, before the elections, when they suddenly saw me with him."
"I worked with [former US] Ambassador [to Israel David] Friedman, and with the White House. This was a professional task, not a political one. He presented me to President Trump and told him, 'Listen, this is General Eshel, he was in every country in the Middle East, without a passport.' Trump smiled and told Gantz something like, 'He is a killer.' Leaving the room, I caught a few sentences with Trump, and I told him, 'Mister, we must ensure that the plan takes effect. Afterwards, I caught Jared Kushner and Ambassador Friedman and gave them the same message. I told them, 'Your plan will die even before it is even born.'"
"Jared looked at me as if I'd fallen from the moon," Eshel continued. "I told him, 'Listen, Netanyahu has a plan to bring annexation for government approval, immediately. We knew this even before we arrived at the White House. I told him that if that happens, the plan will die. He did not quite understand. I told him that no Arab leader will agree to this, no one will support it." READ MORE
