Jerusalem Post: US Planning Israeli-Palestinian-Gulf Peace Summit

The Jerusalem Post newspaper said that members of the Trump Administration are considering hosting a summit in Washington this summer that would bring together Gulf Arab leaders, the Palestinian Authority President and the Israeli Prime Minister onto the same stage at the same time. Israeli sources told the Post that the US is gauging interest in the event, although nothing has been formally planned. According to the report, Israel would have to agree and adhere to an informal, unspoken freeze on future construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank outside of “settlement blocs”, areas that Israel intends to keep even after a peace deal with the Palestinians. The Arab states have said that would be a precondition for any summit, and discussions over a construction pause are being held between Israeli and US officials. Israel has peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, and has widespread business interests with the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia.