The United States issued its invitations Tuesday to the Middle East summit to be held next week in Annapolis, Maryland, with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas as the first recipient. The invitation arrived at PA headquarters in Ramallah as Abbas was meeting with Jacob Walles, the U.S. consul in Jerusalem.
Invitations are being sent to the guests of honor – Israel and the Palestinian Authority – as well as to an Arab League committee and a host of Western nations, according to U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack. Arab League nations, including Saudi Arabia and Syria, neither of which have diplomatic ties with Israel, will be meeting on Friday to formulate a united stand on issues to be covered at the conference.
The specific date of the conference is still being kept under wraps, but is widely expected to take place next Tuesday or Wednesday, November 26 or 27.