You may have already seen the news: France has organized a
new ‘peace’ initiative to end the Arab-Israel conflict (“France to host Middle
East peace conference”, aljazeera, May 19, 2016). They’ve designed a new
peace concept. You might call it the ‘French twist’.
This French ‘twist’ for peace is that the principals won’t
be allowed to negotiate for peace. In theory, the ‘Palestinians’ and the Jews
won’t be allowed in the room.
The French goal is to bring peace through an international conference.
This conference will create a plan. Then, the French will call up the Israelis
and ‘Palestinians’ to tell them what their ‘peace’ arrangement looks like.
The French want an Arab-Israel peace. You’ll see why in a moment. They want 20
countries to join with the UN Security Council and the Middle East Quartet (the
US, EU, UN and Russia) (ibid) so that they will become the honest brokers who
create an honest peace.
Do you believe that? The French do.
The Israelis don’t. One of the participants in this
Conference is the Arab League (ibid). Israel doesn’t see the Arab League as an
honest broker. The Israelis believe that the Arab League is, so to speak, thick
as thieves with the ‘Palestinians’.
The Arab League has 22 member states. It exists to help the
‘common interests’ of its members (Jonathan Masters, “The Arab League”, Council
on Foreign Relations, October 21, 2014).
‘Palestine’ is one of those ‘member states’. In international politics,
the Arab League and ‘Palestine’ go together like hummus and pita.
The Arab League isn’t objective about ‘Palestine’ in the
international arena. It advocates for the ‘Palestinian Cause’. Now, as a
Conference participant, it can help that ‘Cause’ by judging Israel’s fate.
Israel, meanwhile, has no such advocate at this conference.
It will be alone. It will probably be bullied and threatened (Daoud Kuttab,
“How serious is the French proposal on Middle East peace?”, almonitor,
March 3, 2016).
How’s that going to work out? The French say, very well
indeed, thank you.
France is concerned about Israel because of its Muslim
citizenry (Jimmy Hutcheon and Chloe Rouveyrolles, “Analysis: French peace plan
plays to home and international crowds”, middleeasteye, March 29, 2016).
France has been hit with serious anti-West Muslim Jihadi terror attacks (ibid).
The French know that Islam is overtaking Christianity in France, and is ready
to become France’s dominant religion (Giulio Meotti, “Has the Pope Abandoned
Europe to Islam?”, gatestoneinstitute, May 25, 2016). It will use this peace
initiative only for theatrical value (Fred Maroun, “The French Peace
Initiative: From de Gaulle to Haaretz”, gatestoneinstitute, May 17,
2016). It intends to embarrass Israel's government (ibid) and curry favour with
Muslims.
The French desperately want to send a message to their Muslim
citizens: France cares about what’s happening to your beloved ‘Palestine’. We
will help you.
For the French, a successful peace conference could mean a
satisfied Muslim constituency. It could mean less rioting in France—and less
jihadi attacks.
Do you believe that? The French do.
For its part, Israel rejects the Conference. It has reason
not to trust France (Maroun, ibid). Just 5 weeks ago, the UNESCO organization
voted to declare that Judaism’s holiest site, the Temple Mount, has no
connection whatsoever to Judaism (Yochanan Visser, “UNESCO Just Decided The
Temple Mount In Jerusalem Is An Exclusive Muslim Holy Place”, westernjournalism,
April 19, 2016). France supported that declaration.
One could make a case that France is not an honest broker
for a fair Arab-Israel peace. Its record is too pro-Arab to be honest. Israel
has no reason to believe France will be fair about peace for the Jewish state—certainly
not now, after France has just voted for that anti-Israel UNESCO declaration.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no faith in
this ‘conference’. He believes that peace for Israel won’t happen through international
diktats or committees (“Netanyahu renews rejection of French peace initiative”,
aljazeera, May 24, 2016). He wants direct talks between himself and the
PA’s leader, Mahmoud Abbas (ibid). He argues that peace can be built only by
the people who have a direct stake in the outcome (ibid).
Mahmoud Abbas, however, doesn’t want direct talks with Israel
(Raoul Wootliff, “Palestinians reject Netanyahu’s direct talks proposal”, timesofisrael,
May 24, 2016). Direct talks would mean ‘negotiations’—and Abbas doesn’t want to
negotiate anything with Jews.
He’s got a better deal with the French. If the conference
succeeds, he’ll get the state he wants. If the Conference fails, France has
already told Abbas it will recognize ‘Palestine’ as a state anyway (“Abbas
discusses French initiative for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in Paris”, albawabanews,
April 16, 2016).
Ah, the French. They’re so clever. With one international
event, they’ll aim to destroy the Jewish Israel and get peace--for France.
How noble of them.
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