US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a sobering assessment of the prospects of the Trump administration’s long-awaited Middle East peace plan in a closed-door meeting with Jewish leaders, saying “one might argue” that the plan is “un-executable” and it might not “gain traction.”

He expressed his hope that the deal isn’t simply dismissed out of hand.

“It may be rejected. Could be in the end, folks will say: ‘It’s not particularly original, it doesn’t particularly work for me,’ that is, ‘it’s got two good things and nine bad things, I’m out’,” Mr Pompeo said in an audio recording of the private meeting obtained by The Washington Post.

“The big question is, can we get enough space that we can have a real conversation about how to build this out,” he said.

The remarks are the most unvarnished comments to date from a US official about what President Donald Trump has called the “deal of the century”, an effort to resolve the intractable Israeli-Palestinian dispute he has entrusted to his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and former lawyer Jason Greenblatt.

National Demonstration for Palestine Show all 57 1 /57 National Demonstration for Palestine National Demonstration for Palestine Protest icon, Ahed Tamimi meets supporters of the Palestine cause at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Marie Berry National Demonstration for Palestine Rapper and activist Lowkey meet a supporter of the Palestine cause at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Saskia Whitfield National Demonstration for Palestine Dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah meets supporters of the Palestine cause at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 National Demonstration for Palestine Journalists report from the scene of the demonstration at Whitehall during the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters of the Palestine cause pose for a picture at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Tariq Ali speaks to the crowd at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Diane Abbott at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Shamil Jorda from Friends of Al Aqsa (left) said it was important to advocate self determination for Palestine, however, he said "it is up to the Palestinian people to decide what solution they want ” and that the UK government needs to ensure it implements international law and abides by UN resolutions. Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters of the Palestine cause at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Protest icon Ahed Tamimi speaks to the media at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine MP Richard Bergen gives a speech at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Palestinian protest icon Ahed Tamimi gives a speech at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Palestinian protest icon Ahed Tamimi gives a speech at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi became a global sensation after she slapped an Israeli soldier at the West Bank last year. She is stood here next to Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Dr Husam Zomlot who introduced her to the crowd at the at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Protestors show solidarity for Palestine at at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi became a global sensation after she slapped an Israeli soldier at the West Bank last year. She is stood here next to Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Dr Husam Zomlot who introduced her to the crowd at the at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Dr Husam Zomlot speaks to the crowd at the at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Zita Holborn, national vice chairman of the Public and Commercial Services Union and chair of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Member of the media backstage at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Stewards back stage at the at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Ahed Tamimi with her father and supporters back stage at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine A supporter listens intently to a speech at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine A speaker at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Salma Yaqoob at Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019. She told The Independent the UK and US need to be “honest brokers” because its role “has been too one-sided.” She added: “First off, the UK can stop arms trading with Israel. There needs to be a social and political boycott of the state of Israel and people need to keep to the promises they made years ago. The UK needs to take a moral leadership in that, but instead, we’re seeing the very opposite.” Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Ahed Tamimi with her father Bessem, back stage at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine A supporter at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Celtic Football Club supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine An Indonesian family show their support at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Catherine Charrett, a lecturer at Queen Mary and Westfield College’s School of Politics and International Relations told The Independent it was crucial to bring an end to Israel’s apartheid system. She said: “You cannot continue to treat a population as if they’re targets of war to be used for military practice. Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine A supporter at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine The crowd of protestors included members of ultra Orthodox Jewish community, the Haredi, who said they were there to show solidarity because they did not support the oppression of the Palestinian people. Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine The crowd of protestors included members of ultra Orthodox Jewish community, the Haredi, who said they were there to show solidarity because they did not support the oppression of the Palestinian people. Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Football Against Apartheid at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Flags and banners at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Flags and banners at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine A speaker at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent National Demonstration for Palestine Supporters at the National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 11 May 2019 Anu Shukla/The Independent

The unveiling of the plan has been repeatedly delayed, a point Mr Pompeo noted.

“This has taken us longer to roll out our plan than I had originally thought it might – to put it lightly,” he said at a meeting on Tuesday of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations, a New York-based group that addresses concerns to the Jewish community.

In trying to manage expectations, he said there are “no guarantees that we’re the ones that unlock it”, he said, referring to the frozen conflict. “I hope everyone will engage in a serious way.”

He also recognised the popular notion that the agreement will be one-sided in favour of the Israeli government.

“I get why people think this is going to be a deal that only the Israelis could love,” he said. “I understand the perception of that. I hope everyone will just give the space to listen and let it settle in a little bit.”

Since the US president announced plans to solve the decades-old conflict, the United States has taken a series of actions vehemently opposed by the Palestinians.

These include recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital without a final status agreement, cutting funding to the Palestinian Authority and the UN refugee agency that serves them, forcing their diplomatic office in Washington to close, and recognising Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Two attendees said they left with the impression that Mr Pompeo was not optimistic that the plan would succeed.

“He was not in any way confident that the process would lead to a successful conclusion,” said one of the attendees; both spoke on the condition of anonymity because the terms of the meeting were declared to be off the record.

Elan Carr, the State Department’s special envoy to fight antisemitism who also attended the meeting, expressed a different view, saying he thought Mr Pompeo “provided a hopeful assessment over the prospect of a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians”.

“It was an excellent briefing that was very well received by the conference,” he said in a statement offered by the State Department.

Aaron David Miller, a former negotiator and analyst on Middle East issues for Republican and Democratic administrations, said the remarks were “the most revealing and real assessment of the plan that I’ve heard so far”.

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“The fact that Pompeo so easily conceded the perception – and likely the reality – that the plan was strongly structured and tilted towards the Israelis is striking,” Mr Miller said.

The CEO of the group that hosted the event, Malcolm Hoenlein, said he thought Mr Pompeo’s remarks reflected his awareness of allegations of a pro-Israel bias but not the secretary’s own view of the plan.

“He was saying it’s too easy to fall into the trap of these negative assessments,” he said.

Mr Pompeo, unlike previous secretaries of state, is not overseeing the peace effort, but he told the group he is kept closely abreast of the proposal, including a game plan for what to do if Israel proceeds to annex territory in the West Bank.

“I have seen what I believe are all of the details of what it is we are going to roll out,” he said.

Mr Kushner, a real estate investor from New Jersey, and Mr Greenblatt, the former chief legal officer to Trump and the Trump Organisation, have led the initiative since the president took office.

The two men, both practising Orthodox Jews, did not come in with political experience but have shared a long interest in and connection to the state of Israel.

Mr Pompeo said the administration never believed that achieving a lasting peace agreement would be easy.

“We’re under no illusions (that) we’re going to show up with this thing and everyone’s going to say, ‘Tell me where to go for the signing ceremony’,” he said. “It doesn’t work that way.”

If the peace plan had appeared to be an uphill battle when Mr Pompeo spoke on Tuesday night, it hit another significant hurdle a day later as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition and Israel’s parliament voted to dissolve itself, sending the country back to elections in September.

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Now, if the White House wants to avoid rolling out a peace plan during a sensitive election campaign period for Mr Netanyahu, it will have to wait until at least November, when a new Israeli government is expected to be formed.

By that time, Mr Trump will be stepping up his own re-election campaign.

Mr Pompeo said the State Department had given “quite a bit of consideration” to what it would do if the plan “doesn’t gain traction”.

“I don’t want to call it failing,” he said. “Call it whatever. I fail a lot, so it’s not about not using a word like that.”

The contingency planning includes how to respond if the Israeli government decides to annex territory in the West Bank, a move many believe would be a final death knell to a two-state solution.

As part of his election campaign, Mr Netanyahu pledged to annex Israeli settlements in the West Bank if he won, a move considered illegal by much of the international community.

He also may face pressure from right-wing coalition partners to take advantage of the remaining time before the next US election.

A peace plan that lays down Israel’s right to sovereignty over certain areas of the West Bank could bolster calls from those pushing for annexation.

If Israel did go ahead with annexation, the administration would then consider “what would be the best ways to achieve the outcomes that we think are in America and Israel’s best interests”, Mr Pompeo said.

After a participant asked whether there was any effort to bring the Palestinians on board, Mr Pompeo responded that “everyone will find something to hate about the proposal” but that everyone, including the Palestinians, “will find something that they say that’s something to build upon”.

Palestinian officials see the White House plan as inevitably biased against them.

In a speech broadcast on Palestine TV recently, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the “deal of the century” and the Trump administration’s upcoming economic summit for the Palestinians in Bahrain could “go to hell”.

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The goal of the Bahrain summit is drum up support for the economic component of the administration’s peace plan without getting bogged down in the more contentious territorial issues.

Mr Abbas has said Palestinian officials will boycott the summit.

Mr Pompeo said that if Kuwait signs up, all of the Persian Gulf states will be represented in Bahrain “to at least come to listen”.

He said it was hard to expect Gulf nations to come out in “full-throated support” for the process when they haven’t seen the whole plan.

Critics of the Trump administration’s approach have picked up on the fact that the economic summit is not being held in tandem with political discussions.

“You can’t do serious economic development without resolving the security and political issues that allow investors and internal economic growth and employment,” Mr Miller said.