The winners and losers of the Bahrain conference

The United States revealed its economic plan for Palestine at a conference in Bahrain, and the winners and losers of that plan will be impacted for years to come.

Daoud Kuttab
Daoud Kuttab
Jun 27, 2019
Palestinian demonstrators step on posters depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest against Bahrain's workshop for U.S. Middle East peace plan, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 25, 2019. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC1D646FB910
Palestinians step on posters depicting US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest against Bahrain's workshop for a US Middle East peace plan, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 25, 2019. — REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

The Winners

Mahmoud Abbas

The Palestinian president took a big risk by boycotting US mediation efforts after it moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Abbas also defied Israel and the United States by refusing to stop providing financial support to Palestinian prisoners and families of martyrs. His position won him lots of credit among Palestinians and erased many of his mistakes. He would be smart to quit now while he is ahead.

 

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

Continue reading this exclusive analysis

Original reporting and analysis unavailable elsewhere. Subscribe to AL-MONITOR to read this story and access everything we publish

Read By

White House logo NATO Logo World Bank logo European Union logo United Nations logo Foreign and Commonwealth Office logo Harvard University logo