US, European and Arab diplomats were to meet yesterday in Paris for a French-led effort to revive the Middle East peace process, despite skepticism from Israel.
France persuaded US Secretary of State John Kerry, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and foreign ministers and officials from nearly 30 other countries and international organizations to join the meeting to try to prevent an escalation of violence.
Israel and the Palestinians were not taking part, but the French hope the meeting could lead to eventual direct talks.
French President Francois Hollande, who will open the conference, said in a statement on Thursday that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict faces a “dangerous deadlock.”
The meeting will allow participants to “reaffirm their commitment to the two-state solution and their determination to create the conditions for resumption of direct talks,” he said.
Kerry and Ban will be joined by representatives from the EU, the Arab League and important countries in the region such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected the idea of an international conference, saying the longstanding conflict can be resolved only through direct negotiations.
However, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah welcomed the French initiative.
French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault envisions two outcomes for the conference.
First, the prospect of another peace conference that would include the Israelis and the Palestinians by the end of the year, he told Le Monde newspaper on Thursday.
Second, the creation of working groups to prepare for potential direct talks. One would focus on economic incentives, another on security guarantees that could help convince the two parties to come back to the negotiation table.
The core issues of the conflict were not to be discussed during the conference.
France hopes to start a “pragmatic” process in hopes of make progress “step by step,” a French diplomat said, praising a “modest approach.”
“We know the path is difficult, the goal will be hard to reach, but we considered it’s worth trying,” another French diplomat added.
Both officials were speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to disclose content of talks ahead of the conference.
The most recent round of talks broke down two years ago.
The Palestinians, along with much of the international community, have accused Netanyahu of undermining peace talks by continued settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
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