Israel to Attend US Mideast Peace Conference

Israel will attend an upcoming conference on the economic aspects of Washington's peace plan aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Foreign Minister Israel Katz has said.

"Israel will be represented at the Bahrain economic workshop in a way that will be decided later on," Katz wrote on Twitter late Sunday.

"Israel has the ability to contribute to the development of the region with technology, innovation and other ways," he added.

Asked by AFP to elaborate, a foreign ministry official did not say whether Israel would be represented by government officials or business leaders.

The June 25 and 26 gathering will see the unveiling of the economic aspects of the US initiative spearheaded by President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The idea is to woo the Palestinians with the economic benefits if they accept the United State's political proposals, which will be detailed at a later date yet to be announced.

Trump's Middle East envoy hinted Sunday that it would not be before November.

The Palestinians have already rejected the plan, which they believe will be partial to Israel, and they are boycotting the Bahrain workshop.

The White House said last week that Egypt, Morocco and Jordan have agreed to attend, but none of the three countries have yet confirmed their participation.

The United Nations announced it would send its deputy Middle East coordinator to the event.

Relations soured between Washington and the Palestinians after the Trump administration recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital in late 2017.

Trump is attempting to forge a lasting peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians, a task at which all who have tried before him have failed.

But US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned the plan may be considered unworkable, in comments to a private meeting of Jewish leaders leaked to US media.

"It may be rejected. Could be in the end, folks will say, 'It's not particularly original, it doesn't particularly work for me'," The Washington Post reported, citing an audio recording of the meeting it had obtained.