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In Bahrain, U.S. Tries to Promote Mideast Peace through Prosperity
(New York Times) David M. Halbfinger - Business executives, billionaire investors and Middle East diplomats gathered in Bahrain on Tuesday for a White House-led, two-day "Peace to Prosperity Workshop." "One who is more hopeful, and sees opportunity for his or her family, will put energy into pursuing opportunity, instead of blaming others for their current misfortune," said Jared Kushner, leader of the U.S. Middle East peace initiative. Alluding to Palestinian leaders' mockery of the Trump peace plan as the "deal of the century," Kushner said his economic proposal would be "the opportunity of the century, if the leadership has the courage to pursue it." The fact that the conference was getting underway raised hopes for increased cooperation between Israel and its Arab neighbors. "It's been going on for years under the table, but the table seems to be levitating, because it's very crowded under there," said David Makovsky, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who was involved in the Obama administration's effort to broker peace in 2013 and 2014.