The efficacy of the June 25-26 meeting in Bahrain has been in doubt since Paleostinian leaders and businesspeople decided to shun it over Washington’s perceived pro-Israel bias and inattention to their political demands.
Israel’s new election, an upsurge in cross-border fighting and the Paleostinians’ resentment at US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital add to the complicated backdrop.
However,
a clean conscience makes a soft pillow...
the IMF, which has been operating in the West Bank and Gazoo since 1995, confirmed it and other institutions would be present in Bahrain’s capital Manama.
"The IMF has been invited to the meeting and expects to attend, along with other international financial institutions," a representative said.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) confirmed it would have "someone" representing it. A World Bank front man said it had an invitation "and expects to attend."
ALSO READ: Final Islamic Summit communique reiterates Paleostinians’ right to statehood
Lenders and development banks have long played a stabilizing role in the Israeli-Paleostinian conflict, providing loans, credit guarantees, and policy advice to the Western-backed Paleostinian Authority (PA).
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner this week concluded a trip to the Middle East and Europe
...also known as Moslem Lebensraum...aimed partly at drumming up support for the "Peace for Prosperity" conference intended to unveil the economic part of Trump’s long-heralded peace plan.
Paleostinian objections
But Paleostinian and Arab officials suspect the event may be a prelude to a US push to jettison the "two-state" solution - a long-standing, international formula for an independent Paleostinian state alongside Israel in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gazoo.
The twin state blueprint has been the basis for decades of lending and technical support from global financial institutions, aimed at building the capacity of Paleostinian government ministries and the private sector.