RAMALLAH, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets in various West Bank cities on Monday, protesting against the U.S.-sponsored economic workshop to be held in Bahrain.
Rallies were held simultaneously in Ramallah, Tulkarm, Hebron, Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem and other cities, where demonstrators raised slogans, denouncing the economic workshop and U.S. Middle East peace plan, also known as the "Deal of the Century."
Observers say the two-day workshop, dubbed "Peace to Prosperity," aims at helping the Palestinians and the region develop economically, but ignores the political situation and Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territory.
Palestinians say that once the political situation is resolved and Israel ends its occupation leading to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, economic prosperity would be allowed naturally.
Earlier on Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye condemned the workshop, saying it will be futile.
The governments of Bahrain and the U.S. will organize the "Peace to Prosperity" economic workshop in Bahrain's capital Manama on June 25-26.
Palestinians immediately opposed the idea of holding the conference and said they were not even consulted on it.
