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Bahrain to host workshop on Palestine Tues. amid Palestinian boycott

By Rola Al-Riyashi WASHINGTON, June 24 (KUNA) -- Bahrain will host on Tuesday (tomorrow) an economic workshop entitled "from peace to prosperity" to discuss economic prospects of Palestinian people and the region's nations that could lead to a peace between the Palestinian and Israeli sides. However, Palestine announced its boycott of the workshop, which will only include some Israeli businesspersons.
The economic part of the US peace plan known as "the deal of the century" is expected to announce during the workshop that aims to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Last May, Bahrain and the United States announced in a joint statement that Manama would host the two-day workshop, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
According to the statement, the workshop constitutes a pivotal chance to bring together leaders of governments and civil society, and businesspersons in order to share ideas and discuss strategies as well as mobilize support for possible economic initiatives and investments that could be achieved through a peace deal.
Both Bahrain and the US considered that the workshop aims to facilitate talks on an applicable vision and a framework for a prosperous future for Palestinian people and the region's nations, including improving economic governance, developing human capital and facilitating rapid growth of the private sector.
If this vision is achieved, it will change radically lives of peoples and make a brighter future for the region. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that he is looking forward to "these important talks" regarding providing new and exciting chances to Palestinian people that could enable them to achieve at the maximum level.
The workshop gathers leaders from the Middle East region to enhance economic growth and create opportunities for peoples in this key region, he added.
Meanwhile, Bahrain's Minister of Finance and National Economy Sheikh Salman Bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa said that the workshop would shed light on the strategic partnership between the United States and Bahrain, and their keenness on creating economic chances to benefit the region. However, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Palestinian Authority's spokesman, said on June 18 that "any meeting, whether in Bahrain or elsewhere and without the legitimate Palestinian endorsement, proves that Washington cannot and will not succeed on its own in achieving anything". In reply to Abu Rudeineh's statement, President Donald Trump's Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt wrote on his Twitter account that Abu Rudeineh misunderstood the US stance, adding Washington understands that a peace deal will not be achieved without the Palestinian leadership.
However, if a peace deal is not be achieved, it will be a loss to the Palestinians not to the Americans, he noted. "The PA (Palestinian Authority) is asking for more money from the Arab countries, but they won't come to a workshop which is designed to improve their economy & taper off endless aid. I think we all have to recognize that the endless aid (& rewarding terrorists) has to end. Time for a new paradigm," he tweeted.
"The PA is calling for demonstrations against the Bahrain workshop. Tells you everything you need to know about their priorities & intentions. Their leadership is happy w/ the status quo & would rather Palestinians suffer than at least explore a different path for a better future," he wrote.
The Palestinian side announced its boycott of the workshop, stressing its firm demand on finding a political solution to the Palestinian cause through ending the Israeli occupation, and establishing an independent state on 1967 borders and in accordance with the international legitimacy's resolutions. (end) rsr.hm