Netanyahu slams France’s ‘strange’ peace proposal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned France proposal to hold an international peace conference describing it as “strange”.

France has been preparing to hold a conference that would bring together Israelis and Palestinians as well as their American, European and Arab partners in order to revive the peace process.

France has warned that if its peace efforts fail, it will recognise a Palestinian state.

During a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin yesterday, Netanyahu said: “It says, ‘we will hold an international conference, but if you do not succeed, we are already predetermining the result and we will recognise a Palestinian state.”

“Of course this ensures that this conference will fail because if the Palestinians know that their demand will be met a priori, and they do not need to do anything, then there is certainly an internal contradiction here, because they will not do anything.”

Despite his opposition to holding talks with the Palestinians, Netanyahu said: “There is one way to advance peace – direct negotiations without preconditions between the sides. This is the true way and I think that anyone who tries to deviate from it will not advance successful negotiations.”

Turning to his talks with EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, Netanyahu said: “But I heard from Federica Mogherini several very clear things: First, they will not surprise us with further initiatives. Second, they are against BDS and boycotts.”