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Israel, US meet in preparation for Manama conference

June 15, 2019 at 11:23 am

Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz met on Friday with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Peace Process Jason Greenblatt to discuss challenges ahead of the first deal of the century conference to be held in Manama this month, Israeli Channel 13 reported.

Officially, the Israeli government has sought to keep the meeting hidden from mass media, but sources reiterated the news about the meeting to the Israeli TV.

The conference focuses on the economic aspects of the deal of the century. Participants will discuss ways to attract investment to the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the countries of the region.

READ: The workshop of shame and disgrace

Among the Arab states, which have vocally announced their participation are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates. The UN has also announced that it will take part.

Some countries namely Jordan, Egypt and Morocco have denied reports that they will participate though they did not categorically declare that they would not participate.

The Palestinian Authority and several leading Palestinian businessmen along with Iraq have announced they would not attend the conference.

READ: PLO calls for a boycott of US-led economic workshop in Bahrain

In February, The New York Times revealed details about the deal, quoting sources that the deal of the century to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict would include the investment of tens of billions of dollars in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and the countries of the region.

According to the newspaper, $25bn were allocated for the West Bank and Gaza Strip over the next 10 years, in addition to the investment of $40bn in Egypt, Jordan and perhaps Lebanon.