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French diplomat to arrive in Israel in push for int'l peace summit

Xinhua, March 11, 2016 Adjust font size:

A French diplomat is slated to arrive in Israel on Sunday in order to push for an international peace conference to renew talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority this summer, as violence continues to rage in the area, the French embassy in Israel said on Thursday.

Pierre Vimont, a high-level French diplomat, is the French envoy in charge of the preparation of the international conference to renew the Middle East peace process. He will meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials in his two-day visit, according to a statement by the French embassy.

"The envoy would talk with both parties about the steps necessary in order to bring about, this upcoming summer, an international conference that would bring both sides together, along with their main partners," the statement read.

Israel criticized the announcement of the proposed conference, once introduced by former French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius late January, according to which if the talks fail to bear fruit, France would acknowledge a Palestinian state nonetheless.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials said the statement is counterproductive, as it would deny any incentive for the Palestinians to take an active part in direct talks with Israel.

Despite of that, Israeli officials say they would look into the framework, and according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, both sides met in the past month to discuss the bid.

France wishes to carry out another meeting in Paris of about 20 to 30 countries interested in ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in April, according to the Ha'aretz daily.

On Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Jean March Ayrault clarified France would not "automatically" acknowledge a Palestinian state if the summit fails to materialize, apparently toning down the previous message that came out of Paris.

With that, Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely, member of Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud party, told Israel Radio on Thursday that the Israeli government does not intend to engage in peace talks with the Palestinians in the near future.

The minister, known for her hawkish views, said that negotiations with the Palestinians are currently not on the government's agenda.

The push for renewal of peace talks, after the recent round ended in April 2014 without results, comes amid a wave of unrest which started in October, and claimed the lives of 34 Israelis and more than 190 Palestinians.

Israelis were killed in stabbing, shooting and car-ramming attack. Palestinians were killed either in clashes with Israeli security forces during protests or gunned down after carrying out attacks.

Israel blames the Palestinian Authority for incitement to violence, whereas the Palestinian say it is the result of 49 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, where they wish to establish a Palestinian state. Endit