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Roundup: Diplomats trying to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace process

Xinhua, June 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

Diplomats gathered on Friday in Paris for a French-led effort to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Organized by the French government, the meeting is participated by some 30 foreign ministers and representatives from international organizations, including Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi, but neither the Palestinian, nor the Israeli negotiating teams will be attending.

The meeting is an opportunity "to reaffirm the mobilization of the international community in favor of the two-state solution, and to find ways to help Israelis and Palestinians return to the path of peace," French Foreign Jean-Marc Ayrault said in a statement.

Participants of the meeting are supposed to create a framework and incentives to allow the resumption of credible negotiations. It will be followed in late 2016, according to the French authorities, with an international conference, to which Palestine and Israel will be invited.

It won't be easy because France will have to convince Israel to accede to the French initiative. Israeli officials said they doubted the "impartiality" of France.

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu rejected the initiative of Friday's conference, saying the conflict "can be resolved only through direct negotiations."

The visit of French Premier Manuel Valls to Israel and Palestine from May 21 to 24, following that of Ayrault, has not changed the position of the Israel who said in a press release that "the direct bilateral negotiations is best way to resolve the conflict."

As for the Palestinians, they are in favor of the resumption of the peace process and they encourage France for the initiative.

"We look forward to this international peace conference supported by France and other countries. And we hope that new parameters will be proposed for future negotiations, including the establishment of a timetable for negotiations," Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah told French Radio RFI, the day after the French foreign chief's visit on May 15.

In response to Israel's doubt about France's initiative, Hollande said at the opening ceremony of Friday's conference that "France is not looking for anything for itself. This is to create the conditions for a resumption of the negotiations." He called on the Israelis and Palestinians to "make the courageous peace choice."

"The discussion on the conditions of a final settlement between the Israelis and Palestinians must take into account the entire region," the French president stressed.

He also warned that, if the peace process fails, "the gap will be inevitably be filled by extremists."

For France, the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will require the creation of an "independent" Palestinian state.

"The first goal of this conference is to confirm collectively that the peace will come through two states, Israel and a Palestinian state, living side by side in security," Hollande said.

"The two-state solution is the only solution capable of addressing the legitimate aspirations of both the Israelis and the Palestinians to security, independence, recognition and dignity," said the French Foreign Ministry on its website. Endit