Palestinian Minister of Economy Khaled al-Asaily told Al Jazeera Sept. 20 that preparations are underway to hold an Arab investment conference on Palestine, in Cairo before the end of 2019. The conference in particular would focus on real estate investment, under the Arab League’s umbrella, with purely Arab initiatives, away from the US "deal of the century."

During his participation in the 104th session of the Arab League's Economic and Social Council in Cairo, which took place Sept. 4-6 and was chaired by Palestine, Asaily said, “The discussion focused on investments in Palestine, which prompted a United Arab Emirates participant [unidentified] to propose an investment conference on Palestine. However, we asked that the conference be under the umbrella of the Arab League, not other parties.”

Palestinian sources who accompanied Asaily to Cairo told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the man behind the idea of the conference was Emirati businessman Ahmed al-Suwaidin, president of the Arab Union for Investment and Real Estate Development, affiliated with the Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU) at the Arab League.

An official at the Palestinian Ministry of Economy told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “Preparations for the conference began as invitations on behalf of both the Palestinian Authority [PA] and the Arab League are being prepared to be sent out to Arab businessmen. Asaily has recently held several meetings and discussions in this regard, namely with CAEU Secretary-General Mohammed al-Rabie, Arab Union for Investment and Real Estate Development Deputy Secretary-General Adnan Abdel-Jabbar, Egyptian Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr, and a number of Arab officials and businessmen to urge them to participate in the conference.”