In Israel, Tzachi Hanegbi, a cabinet member close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called Palestinians’ rejection of the $50 billion “peace to prosperity” plan tragic. U.S.-allied Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, will take part along with officials from Egypt, Jordan and Morocco. “NO HARM IN LISTENING”In recent years, Iran’s bitter rivalry with a bloc led by Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia has increasingly pushed theArab-Israeli struggle into the background. Amid fears that it would push them to accept a U.S. plan that favors Israel, Saudi Arabia has assured Arab allies it would not endorse anything that fails to meet key Palestinian demands. Ali Shihabi, who heads the Arabia Foundation which supports Saudi policies, said the Palestinian Authority was wrong to reject the plan out of hand.

Source: Huffington Post June 23, 2019 10:07 UTC