TEL AVIV – Six Israeli media outlets have been given permission to attend and cover next week’s U.S.-led economic peace workshop in Bahrain, days after the White House’s announcement that no Israeli government officials would be allowed to attend.
Members of Israel’s business community will be in attendance.
Bahrain awarded six journalists visas following a request by senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, Channel 13 reported.
The Times of Israel, Haaretz, Jerusalem Post, Israel Hayom, and TV channels 12 and 13 received formal invitations from a Washington, DC-based strategic communications company.
Bahrain green-lighting the Israeli journalists’ attendance is unprecedented.
In a tweet, President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt said Bahrain is one of the nations working “to see if peace can be achieved.” He added that the U.S. “very much appreciates Bahrain’s efforts.”
He also said in an interview with i24 news that the decision not to have Israeli government officials comes after the Palestinians snubbed the Manama summit.
“Without the Palestinian Authority there, having the Israeli government there makes it more political. Our mission is really about unveiling the economic plan, showing it to the countries that would donate money down the road, if they were interested, showing it to the Palestinian people. There will be a time when we can benefit from the Israeli government expertise and knowledge. It doesn’t have to be next week.”
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesman on Tuesday vowed that the PA leadership would do everything to “thwart all conspiracies and workshops” aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Every meeting held in Bahrain or anywhere else without representation from the legitimate Palestinian leadership underscores Washington’s inability to succeed in achieving anything,” Nabil Abu Rudeineh said.