Hollande: France still wants peace conference this year
At UNGA, French president says Paris seeks relaunch of negotiations between Israel, Palestinians; FM says ‘this week must be a moment of political mobilization’
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French President Francois Hollande expressed hope Tuesday that Paris would still be able to host a peace conference between Israel and the Palestinians this year.
Speaking to the UN General Assembly in New York, Hollande said: “On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, France wants to convene a conference for negotiations by the end of the year.”
The statements echoed those of his Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault who said at a briefing earlier Tuesday, on the sidelines of the General Assembly, that “this week must be a moment of political mobilization that we can reach that goal.”
Ayrault’s push for an international conference follows an announcement by Russia’s Foreign Ministry on September 8 that Israeli and Palestinian leaders have agreed “in principle” to meet in Moscow for talks.
But the wide gaps between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas raise doubts about the prospect for any meeting — and, if there is one, whether they would make any progress.
Abbas demands that Israel halt all settlement construction in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, and release about two dozen Palestinian prisoners before any meeting. Netanyahu rejects the preconditions, charging that the Palestinian leadership must stop the incitement and support for terrorism.
Ayrault said several countries, including Egypt, Russia and the United States, are trying to restart talks between Israel and the Palestinians. He said he told them that “all efforts are in fact complementary of the French initiative.”
A statement from Secretary of State John Kerry’s office said Kerry met Abbas in New York Monday to discuss “our shared goal of a two state solution.”
It said Kerry voiced “concern over trends on the ground, including the recent surge in violence and settlement activity.”
France hosted an international meeting in Paris in June attended by more than two dozen Western and Arab countries to try to come up with a new strategy for Mideast peace and revive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, which have been all but dead for over two years. The Israeli and Palestinian leaders were not invited.
The participants welcomed the “prospect” of a conference with both parties later this year.
Ayrault hosted a closed meeting Monday for officials from the countries that attended the June conference.
The Times of Israel Community.