The Trump administration announced on Sunday the first stages of the peace plan roll-out, confirming that it will host a workshop in Bahrain in late June to focus on more direct economic investments of the West Bank and Gaza.
The gathering, formally dubbed the Peace to Prosperity Workshop, will take place on June 25-26 and will be attended by several Gulf Arab States as well as Arab partners for peace all over the region. The goal of the conference is to build alliances for peace and relationships for major economic investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with backing by the United States and the Arab world.
In recent weeks, Jared Kushner, senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, announced that the peace plan would begin unveiling in June, after Ramadan. This is the first indication that the Trump team will release the first portion of this ambitious and highly anticipated proposal to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
By holding this barrier-breaking conference, President Trump and his administration have “trumped” the Islamic Mafia. The expression “Islamic Mafia” refers to the Islamic entities that have held back the Arab world and peace in the Middle East for decades, such as the Muslim Brotherhood.
I myself have seen the righteous work President Trump is doing. Earlier this year, I met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh as well as with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in the United Arab Emirates. These two princes have been part of the catalyst to bringing about a new future and a stronger Middle East. Their fight has been quiet, but powerful—reforming institutions at home and building bridges for peace in the region.
In the span of a year and a half, I have met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi three times. President Sisi has broken through the glass ceiling, giving statements of support to the State of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Sisi’s closer relations with Israel, his fight against terrorism and extremism in North Africa and Egypt’s overthrow of president Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood are just a few examples of changing ties in the Muslim world.
Thank you, President Donald Trump and the Trump administration. While there are many who are blind to the virtue and moral clarity this president has shown in the Middle East, there are some of us who have seen it up close and honor him for it. While the chances for peace have always been touted as unlikely, President Trump has overcome the ultimate challenges and will set the Middle East on the path to peace with his ultimate deal.
Mike Evans is a No. 1 New York Times’ best-selling author with 94 published books. He is the founder of Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, of which the late Shimon Peres, Israel’s ninth president, was the chair. This article originally appeared on The Jerusalem Post. Reprinted with permission.
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