French ambassador refutes PM Netanyahu's take on Paris conference
In an interview with Ynet, Hélène Le Gal insists that the Paris peace conference is merely a way of responding to PM Netanyahu's desire to conduct face-to-face negotiations with the Palestinians. Le Gal: 'We want to encourage that through the conference.'
In regards to comments made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he referred to the conference as a "French sponsored Palestinian fraud," Ambassador Le Gal said, "Of course I don't agree. We think this conference will be effective because at the moment there are no negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians."
According to Le Gal, Netanyahu was invited to take part in a meeting after the conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and French President François Hollande, but refused.
"Netanyahu did not want to come, but the idea was to respond to his desire to have direct talks with Mr. Abbas. We are open to that," said Le Gal. "In any case, future negotiations should be made between the two sides and on that, we completely agree with the Israeli +prime minister. We want to encourage that through the conference."
According to Le Gal, conference participants will discuss "incentives in various fields, especially economics, in order to ensure that peace will be profitable for both sides."
Additionally, the ambassador also referred to the impending transition of governments in the United States, with President-elect Donald Trump set to assume power. "The fact that the American government is set to change in another few days is another reason to show where we stand. In another few days we can show our new American partners where 70 nations stand on the issue."
Israel is worried that whatever text is passed during the conference will be then put to a vote at the UN Security Council during a meeting set to be held on the Middle East on December 17, two days after the conference.
After the US stated that they will veto any anti-Israel resolution, it seems like the French will try and make a proposal which will be signed by all of the members of the UN Security Council.
Therefore, the various countries who are set to participate in the conference are hurriedly putting together their closing statements, and getting their recommendations ready.
