Israeli, Arab Diplomats Sit Side-by-side At White House For Gaza Talks

Israeli and Arab diplomats convened at the White House for a roundtable discussion on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, in what is being construed as a potential breakthrough ahead of the release of President Donald Trump’s much-anticipated peace plan. The talks were led by senior American adviser Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, the special representative for international negotiations, and included officials from Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain. The primary focus of the gathering was Hamas’ control of the Palestinian enclave, which the U.S. administration considers an impediment to the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Strip and its eventual reconstruction, as well as to the success of its pending peace initiative. The Palestinian Authority did not send a delegation to the meeting despite receiving an invitation, thereby upholding a boycott on American officials imposed by President Mahmoud Abbas following the U.S. recognition in December of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.