 Hundreds of business and political leaders are attending a conference aimed at boosting the stagnant economy in the occupied West Bank through private investment.
| And where would your money be safer than in Ramallah? |
The first ever Palestine Investment Conference, which started on Wednesday in Bethlehem, is aimed at encouraging investor interest by showcasing business opportunities and projects.
Robert Kimmitt, the deputy US treasury secretary, is leading a US delegation to the three-day event. Kimmitt said that the US administration hopes the conference will bolster a push to establish a Palestinian state. About 1,200 businesspeople, including 500 Arab and foreign participants, are expected to attend the conference. Amongst those attending are Bernard Kouchner, the French foreign minister, and Tony Blair, the current envoy of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet, which is monitoring the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. |