RAMALLAH, West Bank — The date of the Bahrain conference, which will focus on the economic aspects of the US peace plan, otherwise known as the deal of the century, is nearing. Meanwhile, pressure on the Palestinian Authority (PA) is mounting to push it to change its mind about boycotting the conference that will take place June 25-26.
Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee Saeb Erekat announced in a statement May 22 that the PA will not participate in the Bahrain conference due to US decisions, like the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, moving its embassy to Jerusalem and halting funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.