[Whitfield:] First on CNN. CNN's Jake Tapper is reporting that the White House is announcing the first part of its Middle East peace proposal. The plan is led by senior White House adviser and President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and focuses on economic development. It includes four major components infrastructure, industry, and empowering people and governance reform. The plan also calls for a meeting of Middle East countries to be held June 25th and 26th in Bahrain, the much stickier political component of the plan will be announced later on this year. CNN diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson joins me from Abu Dhabi and in Washington, D,C., Aaron David Miller, a former State Department negotiator for both Republican and Democratic administrations. Good to see both of you. All right, so Nic, you first, you know, this is purposely being called a workshop, not a summit. Finance Ministers will be invited, but not Foreign Ministers. Why the distinction?
[Nic Robertson, Cnn International Diplomatic Editor:] Well, I think from what we can see from the contours and the way it's being announced and shaped already, that this is an idea to sell the aspiration of what a peace deal and the contours of that are still shrouded in mystery, that this is an idea to sell the economic benefits of what may be tacked on at the end of it. And of course, when I say tacked on at the end of it, that's the real heavy lift. The details of what any kind of political settlement might be. So you know, if we compare this, for example, to the way that President Trump tried to deal with Kim Jong-un when they had that first Summit in Singapore, there was that that video that sort of video of a brave new North Korea with economic success and building and all the aspirations of what can be achieved. And it seems that Jared Kushner is trying to sort of set out his stand in this way to bring people on with a vision and buy into the economic benefits, before they have to bite down on the political reality. I have to say, at this stage, it is hard to say it's hard to see if you're going to find willing partners in the Palestinians for this, but this is how he is attempting to begin the process it appears.
[Whitfield:] And so Aaron, and this is what Jared Kushner told CNN in a statement, and I'm quoting now, "People are letting their grandfathers' conflict destroy their children's futures. This will present an exciting, realistic and viable pathway forward that does not currently exist." How do you believe that will be sold?
[Aaron David Miller, Cnn Global Affairs Analyst:] You know, it's a nice line and it embodies the reality that you cannot allow the past to imprison the present or the future. I think the reason they did this partly for it, and I think Nic had it exactly right. First of all, it's proof of life. There's been a lot of speculation that in fact, this plan will never come out. And there was a fairly compelling analysis that supported that argument. So this demonstrates that, in fact, something is going to come out. Number two, I think it front loads as Nic suggested the economic benefits, which are necessary but not sufficient to solve the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Look, I've seen, helped craft, watch peace plans come and go most of which I might add over the course of 20 years under Republican and Democratic administrations have failed. But you cannot buy a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yes, improving the quality of people's lives is critical and I applaud them for doing this. But a chicken in every pot, a computer in every house is not going to substitute or frankly compensate for the incredibly difficult issues of statehood, Jerusalem, refugees, and the whole conception of how you reconcile Israeli sovereignty, excuse me, Palestinian sovereignty against the necessary requirements of Israeli security.
[Miller:] So I think they've got the horse a real horse, perhaps, before the card, but we'll see one additional point. You notice where this is taking place. It's taking place in the Gulf. And frankly, to their credit, they didn't have I use the word "chutzpah" to stage this in Saudi Arabia, largely because of our policy in respect to Jamal Khashoggi's murder, but it will bring Israelis and Arabs, Palestinian participation yet to be seen. I suspect they probably will come together and frankly it is a good thing.
[Whitfield:] And does it tell you because there is a date of June 25th and 26th, that there are commitments coming from some of those Middle Eastern countries to be in Bahrain at that date?
[Miller:] I suspect they wouldn't have put this out if they didn't think that at a sufficient level, we get serious Arab states, Saudis and Emiratis to participate in this. The question is whether the Gulf is going to not just show up. But frankly, put the money up that is going to be required for all of this. So one last point, you know, it's paradoxical, because they have now gotten dates for the economic component of the plan, which allows them, frankly, a certain amount of flexibility to delay andor defer the truly controversial elements of the plan, how to reconcile Israeli and Palestinian needs on Jerusalem, territory, borders all the issues that the rest of us couldn't sort out over the course of the last 25 years.
[Whitfield:] So Nic, Jared Kushner, has said that he believes this peace plan will be a real test for Arab nations in particular. So what might be the biggest challenge?
[Robertson:] As you know, I think to get to the Palestinians engaged in a meaningful way right off the bat is going to be the toughest issue here. You have the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN recently describing this peace plan as dead on arrival. You have just a couple of days ago, the Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister speaking in London calling this a consecration of the century long ordeal of the Palestinian people no sovereignty, no freedom, no independence. This is going to be the heaviest lift to get them engaged. And of course, they've stopped engagement with the White House since the end of December 2017 when President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. So I think getting real meaningful engagement at the beginning that seems to be the biggest challenge where we stand today. And that's just the beginning.
[Whitfield:] Yes, all right, Nic Roberson, Aaron David Miller. Thanks to both of you. Appreciate it.
[Miller:] Thanks, Fred.
[Whitfield:] Still ahead, severe weather continues today and it's about to get worse in the U.S. At least 49 tornadoes have been reported since Friday, a live update, next.