Trump Peace Team to Visit Middle East

US President Donald Trump’s peace team will visit the Middle East next week to discuss the administration’s proposal to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Senior adviser Jared Kushner, who has spearheaded the American peace effort, will head a delegation that includes lead negotiator Jason Greenblatt as well as Brian Hook, the White House’s point man on Iranian affairs. Israeli media reported that the group would travel to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The ostensible reason for the trip is to follow up on June’s American-sponsored conference in Bahrain, where the economic components of the US peace proposal for Israelis and Palestinians were finally unveiled. In this respect, President Trump envisions generating investments worth nearly $30 billion for development projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as another $20 billion earmarked for regional countries with a stake in the process. Nevertheless, the Palestinian Authority continues to boycott US officials and is vehemently opposed to the initiative, deeming it an effort to “liquidate” Palestinian national aspirations. The second part of the US plan, expected to focus on “core” issues such as the delineation of borders and the future status of Jerusalem, is expected to be released sometime after Israel’s September 17 national election.