Israel businesspeople will take part in the peace workshop delegation in Bahrain next week, Reuters reported yesterday. The Israeli delegation will reportedly include only people from the business sector, not members of the Israeli administration.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Yisrael Katz yesterday confirmed to Channel 13 News that Israel would participate in the conference scheduled in Bahrain's capital city on June 25-26. The Palestinians are still boycotting the Trump administration, and do not intend to attend the event in Bahrain.
As of now, the Prime Minister's Office is not responding to inquiries or disclosing any information whatsoever, including on participation by businesspeople and/or ministers, their identity, and whether Israeli media will be allowed to cover the event.
The economic event is meant to bring together government officials and businesspeople in the region to discuss ways of advancing the Palestinian economy. US government emissary Jason Greenblatt, however, said yesterday at a conference held by the "Jerusalem Post" newspaper that the economic solution would not be a substitute for a political solution, which would be postponed until after a government is formed in Israel around November 2019. The Trump administration team does not want to cause problems for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his election campaign, and is not disclosing its plans for the Palestinians until the election campaign ends in order to avoid harming the Likud's chances.
This timetable will make it difficult for Trump's team, because starting in January 2020, attention in Washington will be focused on the US election campaign.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on June 17, 2019
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