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French Plan for Middle East Peace Talks Hits a Familiar Snag French Plan for Middle East Peace Talks Hits a Familiar Snag
(about 4 hours later)
JERUSALEM — A new, French-led effort to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has gotten off to a predictably contentious start: The Palestinians are in favor; Israel is strongly opposed.JERUSALEM — A new, French-led effort to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has gotten off to a predictably contentious start: The Palestinians are in favor; Israel is strongly opposed.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls of France is scheduled to arrive in Israel this weekend, a week after the French foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, visited Ramallah to update the Palestinians, and Jerusalem to try to get the Israelis on board.Prime Minister Manuel Valls of France is scheduled to arrive in Israel this weekend, a week after the French foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, visited Ramallah to update the Palestinians, and Jerusalem to try to get the Israelis on board.
Mr. Valls has been granting interviews to the Israeli news media before his visit in an attempt to go above the head of a reluctant Israeli government and appeal directly to the public.Mr. Valls has been granting interviews to the Israeli news media before his visit in an attempt to go above the head of a reluctant Israeli government and appeal directly to the public.
“We think that the status quo works against the Israelis, the Palestinians and peace,” Mr. Valls, who is generally considered friendly to Israel, told the Yediot Aharonot newspaper.“We think that the status quo works against the Israelis, the Palestinians and peace,” Mr. Valls, who is generally considered friendly to Israel, told the Yediot Aharonot newspaper.
Details of the French initiative to move beyond the current stalemate have emerged slowly: There was a plan for a meeting of interested foreign ministers to be held in Paris, without the Israelis or Palestinians in attendance. That meeting was intended to lead to an international conference to establish new parameters for negotiating a Palestinian state alongside Israel. President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has welcomed the idea.Details of the French initiative to move beyond the current stalemate have emerged slowly: There was a plan for a meeting of interested foreign ministers to be held in Paris, without the Israelis or Palestinians in attendance. That meeting was intended to lead to an international conference to establish new parameters for negotiating a Palestinian state alongside Israel. President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has welcomed the idea.
But that plan has already been complicated by competing interests. These include internal Israeli political machinations as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to broaden his right-wing government, which rules with a majority of one in the Israeli Parliament; regional considerations of neighboring states, including Egypt; and an apparent ambivalence by the Obama administration, which has facilitated previous rounds of Israeli-Palestinian talks without success.But that plan has already been complicated by competing interests. These include internal Israeli political machinations as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to broaden his right-wing government, which rules with a majority of one in the Israeli Parliament; regional considerations of neighboring states, including Egypt; and an apparent ambivalence by the Obama administration, which has facilitated previous rounds of Israeli-Palestinian talks without success.
President François Hollande of France said in a radio interview on Tuesday that the meeting of foreign ministers scheduled for May 30 had been postponed because Secretary of State John Kerry could not attend. Mr. Hollande said the meeting would take place “in the course of the summer,” without specifying a new date.President François Hollande of France said in a radio interview on Tuesday that the meeting of foreign ministers scheduled for May 30 had been postponed because Secretary of State John Kerry could not attend. Mr. Hollande said the meeting would take place “in the course of the summer,” without specifying a new date.
Briefing reporters in Washington on Tuesday, the State Department spokesman, John Kirby, said the Americans were continuing to talk with the French about a new date.Briefing reporters in Washington on Tuesday, the State Department spokesman, John Kirby, said the Americans were continuing to talk with the French about a new date.
“We are not going to turn up our nose at any opportunity to have a constructive dialogue and to perhaps come up with ideas and solutions to get us to a two-state solution,” he said.“We are not going to turn up our nose at any opportunity to have a constructive dialogue and to perhaps come up with ideas and solutions to get us to a two-state solution,” he said.
Israel has been trying to turn the Americans off the French plan.Israel has been trying to turn the Americans off the French plan.
After meeting with the French foreign minister in Jerusalem last week, Mr. Netanyahu said, “I told him that the only way to advance a true peace between us and the Palestinians is by means of direct negotiations between us and them, without preconditions.” He added: “They simply avoid negotiating with us as part of their desire to avoid resolving the root of the conflict, which is recognizing the nation state of the Jewish people, i.e. the state of Israel.”After meeting with the French foreign minister in Jerusalem last week, Mr. Netanyahu said, “I told him that the only way to advance a true peace between us and the Palestinians is by means of direct negotiations between us and them, without preconditions.” He added: “They simply avoid negotiating with us as part of their desire to avoid resolving the root of the conflict, which is recognizing the nation state of the Jewish people, i.e. the state of Israel.”
Dore Gold, the director general of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a close aide to Mr. Netanyahu, said the conference that France was trying to convene would “provide a new escape route for Abbas to avoid direct talks with Israel.”Dore Gold, the director general of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a close aide to Mr. Netanyahu, said the conference that France was trying to convene would “provide a new escape route for Abbas to avoid direct talks with Israel.”
Though France and Israel are allies, Mr. Gold said, “there is a disconnect on this issue.”Though France and Israel are allies, Mr. Gold said, “there is a disconnect on this issue.”
Speaking to reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah this week, Rami Hamdallah, the Palestinian prime minister, said, “Our previous experiences directly negotiating with the current right-wing Israeli government were ineffective and redundant.”Speaking to reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah this week, Rami Hamdallah, the Palestinian prime minister, said, “Our previous experiences directly negotiating with the current right-wing Israeli government were ineffective and redundant.”
The French effort aims to resolve a stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process since American-brokered talks collapsed in acrimony in 2014.The French effort aims to resolve a stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process since American-brokered talks collapsed in acrimony in 2014.
Since then, international players have been preoccupied with other issues, including the battle against the Islamic State.Since then, international players have been preoccupied with other issues, including the battle against the Islamic State.
But the Palestinians say that more than 20 years of failed negotiations have persuaded them to seek a more international approach in their struggle for statehood.But the Palestinians say that more than 20 years of failed negotiations have persuaded them to seek a more international approach in their struggle for statehood.
Mr. Hamdallah said that more than 20 countries had agreed to attend the foreign ministers conference in Paris, and that the international conference to follow would set a timetable for negotiations and, perhaps, a deadline for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territories.Mr. Hamdallah said that more than 20 countries had agreed to attend the foreign ministers conference in Paris, and that the international conference to follow would set a timetable for negotiations and, perhaps, a deadline for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territories.
Mr. Hamdallah cited the accord reached last year between world powers and Iran on curbing its nuclear program as a guide for talks to resolve longstanding disagreements — “a model, actually,” he said.Mr. Hamdallah cited the accord reached last year between world powers and Iran on curbing its nuclear program as a guide for talks to resolve longstanding disagreements — “a model, actually,” he said.
That analogy was not likely to be welcomed by Israel, which vehemently opposed the Iran deal.That analogy was not likely to be welcomed by Israel, which vehemently opposed the Iran deal.
Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization official and the Palestinians’ chief negotiator, told Voice of Palestine Radio on Wednesday that the French had informed the Palestinians that the meeting would be convened in the first week of June, before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization official and the Palestinians’ chief negotiator, told Voice of Palestine Radio on Wednesday that the French had informed the Palestinians that the meeting would be convened in the first week of June, before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Many Israelis were skeptical that that would happen. Efraim Inbar, an Israeli professor of political studies at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, said that “saying ‘in the course of the summer’ is like saying ‘when the Messiah will come.’”Many Israelis were skeptical that that would happen. Efraim Inbar, an Israeli professor of political studies at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, said that “saying ‘in the course of the summer’ is like saying ‘when the Messiah will come.’”
In an additional twist, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt made an unusual appeal on Tuesday for the Israelis and Palestinians to make peace and called for Israel’s fractious political parties to unite in an effort to achieve that goal.In an additional twist, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt made an unusual appeal on Tuesday for the Israelis and Palestinians to make peace and called for Israel’s fractious political parties to unite in an effort to achieve that goal.
Many Israeli commentators speculated that Mr. Sisi’s move was somehow coordinated with Mr. Netanyahu and Isaac Herzog, the leader of the center-left Zionist Union and the head of Israel’s parliamentary opposition, who has been engaged in intense negotiations over joining the government. Many Israeli commentators speculated that Mr. Sisi’s move was somehow coordinated with Mr. Netanyahu and Isaac Herzog, the leader of the center-left Zionist Union and the head of Israel’s parliamentary opposition, who has been engaged in intense but ultimately unsuccessful negotiations over joining the government.
Both Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Herzog rushed to praise Mr. Sisi’s appeal, and Israeli politicians and analysts suggested that an alternative initiative for a regional conference convened by Middle Eastern leaders might be shaping up behind the scenes.Both Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Herzog rushed to praise Mr. Sisi’s appeal, and Israeli politicians and analysts suggested that an alternative initiative for a regional conference convened by Middle Eastern leaders might be shaping up behind the scenes.
“I listened closely to what Egypt’s President el-Sisi said yesterday,” Mr. Herzog said, adding, “I have repeatedly said there is a historic opportunity for a rare regional development which could change the face of the Middle East.”“I listened closely to what Egypt’s President el-Sisi said yesterday,” Mr. Herzog said, adding, “I have repeatedly said there is a historic opportunity for a rare regional development which could change the face of the Middle East.”
Such a conference would give Mr. Herzog a justification for joining the right-wing government in the face of strong opposition in his party. And for Mr. Netanyahu, a partnership with Mr. Herzog and a regional conference could provide ways to ease international pressure on Israel. But by Wednesday evening, those plans seemed doomed after Mr. Netanyahu met with Avigdor Lieberman, to discuss the possibility of Mr. Lieberman’s hard-line Yisrael Beiteinu party joining the government instead of Mr. Herzog, with Mr. Lieberman in the role of defense minister.
But by Wednesday evening, those plans had begun to unravel after Mr. Netanyahu met with Avigdor Lieberman, to discuss the possibility of Mr. Lieberman’s hard-line Yisrael Beiteinu party joining the government instead of Mr. Herzog, with Mr. Lieberman in the role of defense minister.
At a news conference, Mr. Herzog said Mr. Netanyahu faced a stark choice between “heading to war and funerals” or “a journey of hope” for Israel’s citizens.At a news conference, Mr. Herzog said Mr. Netanyahu faced a stark choice between “heading to war and funerals” or “a journey of hope” for Israel’s citizens.