Jihadi forces in Gaza have threatened to target anyone who participates in the US-sponsored “Peace to Prosperity” economic workshop in Manama at the end of June.
The summit is to serve as a major step towards the unveiling of President Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” peace plan.
A public notice circulated by the various factions in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday warned Arab organizations and individuals not to participate in the Bahrain summit. The notice further called for demonstration throughout the Middle East when the summit begins on June 25.
In the meantime, at least 13 businessmen from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have responded positively to US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin’s invitation to attend the event.
A.M., an Arab businessman from the Palestinian Authority (PA), told TPS that the group is determined to arrive in Bahrain as the event can generate a significant change for the PA’s economy, which he said is rapidly collapsing.
However, Khalil al-Hayya, a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau, stated that the terror group is determined to foil all plans for the Bahrain conference and fight Trump’s Deal of the Century.
In an interview with the Hezbollah affiliated Al-Mayadeen news on Tuesday, al-Hayya discussed Hamas’ relationship with Syria and said that the terror group “is not ashamed to say that the relationship with Syria is necessary for Hamas and for the Palestinian people”. He added that no one denies the major role Syria has played, previous and present.
He also dealt with Hamas’ relationship with Iran, stressing that “it is excellent” and at the highest level.
He believes that Iran is being targeted by the US because it is opposed to the US and Israeli policies in the region.
While Iran is now paying a price of its support for the Palestinian cause and the “resistance” in the region, al-Hayya said that Iran will emerge from this crisis victorious, together with “the forces of resistance in the region.”
He expressed regret over Bahrain’s willingness to host the conference, which he said is aimed at “liquidating the Palestinian cause.”
Hamas and Hezbollah affiliated media reports said that the Manama event was another anti-Arab step, following the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the cutting of the US funding to the UNRWA Palestinian refugee agency, the US recognition of Israeli sovereignty on the Golan Heights and Israel’s pending annexation of Judea and Samaria.
Al-Mayadeen predicted that the next US move will be to bribe Arab businessmen and to pay Arab countries to take in Arab refugees.
Arab analysts have noted that the PA should be worried by the fact that several Arab countries have taken an independent stance vis-à-vis the “Palestinian problem,” which is diametrically opposed to the one espoused by the PA.
The Confederation of Palestinian Communities in Latin America and the Caribbean (COPLAC) on Tuesday expressed in a statement its rejection and condemnation to the ‘Peace to Prosperity’ economic workshop and urged Arab states not to participate, describing it as “a US-Israeli maneuvering designed to wipe Palestine from the map and liquidate the rights of the Palestinian people.”
The Muslims Brotherhood in Jordan demanded that the Kingdom announce it will not participate in the event.
Similarly, PLO official Saeb Erekat called on all Arab countries that have stated they will attend the summit to rethink their position and stick with the Arab Initiative peace plan.