Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 21 May 2019
Palestinians say US conference doomed without political plan

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Pal- agreement.
estinian prime minister said "The Palestinian people,
Monday that any Ameri- along with all people in
can peace plan that ig- the Middle East, deserve a
nores the Palestinian peo- future with dignity and the
ple's aspirations for an inde- opportunity to better their
pendent state is doomed lives," Trump's senior adviser
to fail. and son-in-law, Jared Kush-
Mohammad Shtayyeh's ner, said in a statement
comments immediately Sunday.
cast a cloud over the Amer- "Economic progress can
ican-led Mideast peace only be achieved with a
conference expected to solid economic vision and if
take place in late June in the core political issues are
the tiny Gulf Arab state of resolved."
Bahrain. The tiny island nation of
The White House an- Bahrain, off the coast of
nounced Sunday it will Saudi Arabia, has signaled
unveil the first phase of its willingness to open rela-
its long-awaited Mideast tions with Israel. Prominent
peace plan at the confer- rabbis in 2017 said King Ha-
ence, saying it will focus mad bin Isa Al Khalifa told
on economic benefits that them he hoped the Arab
could be reaped if the Is- In this April 29, 2019, file photo, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, center, chairs a session of boycott of Israel would
raeli-Palestinian conflict is the weekly cabinet meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah. end.
resolved. Associated Press Bahrain hosts the U.S. Na-
The plan envisions large- vy's Fifth Fleet and is a close
scale investment and in- succumb to blackmailing to what they have today," ognition of Jerusalem as ally of Saudi Arabia and
frastructure work, much of and extortion and will not Greenblatt said. Israel's capital. They have the United Arab Emirates,
it funded by wealthy Arab trade our national rights for In another setback, Bashar repeatedly expressed fears which are widely believed
countries, in the Palestinian money." Masri, a Palestinian industri- that the White House will try to be seeking closer ties to
territories. President Donald Trump's alist with vast business hold- to buy them off with large Israel, viewing it as a po-
But officials say the June Mideast envoy, Jason ings throughout the West sums of investment in ex- tential ally against Iran, a
25-26 conference will not Greenblatt, said it was "dif- Bank, said he had turned change for freezing their shared enemy.
include the core political ficult to understand why down an invitation to the demands for an indepen- Kushner and Greenblatt,
issues of the conflict: final the Palestinian Authority conference. dent state. They believe the have been leading efforts
borders, the status of Jeru- would reject a workshop "I will not participate in this U.S. is trying to rally support to draft the plan, but af-
salem, the fate of Palestin- designed to discuss a vision conference, and none from other Arab countries ter more than two years
ian refugees or Israeli secu- with the potential to radi- of the representatives of to bully them into accept- of work, they have not re-
rity demands. cally transform lives and our companies will partici- ing a plan that would legiti- leased any details.
"Any solution to the conflict put people on a path to- pate," he wrote on Face- mize the Israeli occupation. A senior administration of-
in Palestine must be politi- ward a brighter future." book. "We reaffirm our In a joint statement with ficial in Washington told re-
cal ... and based on ending "History will judge the Pales- clear position: We will not Bahrain, the White House porters Sunday that invita-
the occupation," Shtayyeh tinian Authority harshly for deal with any event out- said the gathering will give tions to the conference are
said at a Palestinian Cabi- passing up any opportunity side the Palestinian nation- government, civil and busi- being sent to individuals in
net meeting. "The current that could give the Pales- al consensus." ness leaders a chance to the United States, Europe,
financial crisis is a result tinians something so very The Palestinians severed rally support for economic the Gulf, the wider Arab
of a financial war waged different, and something ties with the U.S. over a initiatives that could be world and "some" Palestin-
against us and we will not so very positive, compared year ago over Trump's rec- possible with a peace ian business leaders.q

Lebanese budget protesters clash

with security in Beirut

government continued to vices and social benefits. and private school teach-
hold marathon meetings to Over one hundred pro- ers and retired officers.
discuss severe budget cuts. testers gathered Monday The government, headed
Lebanon faces a looming outside the Government by Prime Minister Saad
fiscal crisis as the econo- House in downtown Beirut Hariri, has sought to calm
my struggles with soaring shouting "Thieves, thieves!" nerves while also describ-
debt, rising unemployment as the Cabinet met for its ing the upcoming budget
and slow growth. The gov- 16th session and struggles as the most austere in Leb-
ernment's tightened bud- to reach agreement. anon's history.
get and key reforms aim Protesters pushed back Hariri said he hopes the
A retired Lebanese soldier chants slogans while holding an army to unlock billions of dollars against police lines and set government will be able to
flag, during a protest in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, May 20, 2019,
as the government faces a looming fiscal crisis. in pledged foreign assis- fire to tires outside the build- send the budget to parlia-
Associated Press tance. But planned cuts ing. At least two police- ment later this week.
have unleashed a wave men and one civilian were Finance Minister Ali Has-
Associated Press on Lebanese anti-austerity of public discontent, amid wounded in the scuffles. san Khalil said the cabinet
BEIRUT (AP) — Security forc- protesters in the country's leaks that austerity could Among those demonstrat- made "important progress"
es opened water cannons capital on Monday, as the target public wages, ser- ing Monday were public in discussions Sunday.q