Representatives from the US, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and other moderate Muslim nations, as well as business leaders from around the world, have gathered in Manama, Bahrain to discuss phase 1 of the Trump administration’s “Deal of the Century.” Entitled Peace to Prosperity, the 40-page document has been released for all the world to see. Read it for yourself!

I have scanned through it, but have not read it thoroughly. What I know, though, is this: the plan entails a $50 billion (with a “b!”) aid package to the Palestinians in exchange for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. The $50 billion would include allocations for infrastructure (power plants, hospitals, etc), border crossing upgrades, career counseling and job placement (to reduce unemployment and poverty) and other things to help Palestinians realize a degree of prosperity their leadership has denied them for years. Never has such an offer been presented.

So, today and tomorrow, world leaders will attempt to provide those advantages to the Palestinians. However, do we really believe they will succeed? If so, they will have to overcome the obstacle that has foiled most other attempts at peace: Palestinian resistance. In this case, they have chosen to boycott the negotiations altogether.

Unfortunately, the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity!

Nonetheless, please pray for negotiations happening today and tomorrow in Manama. Whether or not peace between Israelis and Palestinians is possible, may the Lord bless the efforts of those who seek peace.

Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
~Psalm 34:14