US embassy warns of expected anti-American demos in Gaza, West Bank over Bahrain
Embassy employees and family members barred from personal or official travel in West Bank, June 24-26, amid concerns of protests against US-initiated conference in Manama
The US embassy in Israel on Friday issued a travel warning due to concerns over expected anti-American demonstrations in the West Bank and Gaza against the upcoming Bahrain summit. It also barred employees and their family members from the West Bank June 24-26.
The US administration and Bahrain announced in mid-May that they would host the economic workshop in the Bahraini capital of Manama June 25-26, and that it “will facilitate discussions on an ambitious, achievable vision and framework for a prosperous future for the Palestinian people and the region.”
American officials have said that the meeting will deal with the economic portion of its apparently forthcoming plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a plan whose unveiling has been delayed by political limbo caused by new elections called in Israel.
However, the Palestinians have strongly opposed the conference and urged Arab states to stay away, arguing it will be placing economic issues ahead of reaching a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.