Mideast peace conference to convene in Paris this month

By Anees Barghothi

RAMALLAH, Palestine

An international peace conference aimed at reviving the peace process between the Palestinians and Israel is set to take place on Dec. 21 in Paris, according to a Palestinian official.

"The French authorities have informed the Palestinian leadership of their intention to hold the International Conference for Peace in the Middle East on Dec. 21," Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.

"This is a major opportunity to end the Israeli occupation [of Palestinian land] and save the region from instability, tension and terrorism," he said.

"Israel’s current government continues to try to destroy any chance of salvaging the peace process, which leads to instability throughout the entire region," Abu Rudeineh added.

He called on the international community to establish agreed-upon "terms of reference" for ending the conflict in line with earlier UN Security Council resolutions.

"We must work for the implementation of these resolutions according to defined timetables," he said.

Later in the day, France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said his country was working to resume talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Speaking to reporters in Paris after a meeting with his Spanish counterpart Alfonso Dastis, Ayrault said both politicians were sent invitations for a possible meeting later this month. Ayrault said they were more committed than ever to do everything they can to make the initiative a success.

Peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators collapsed in 2014 over Israel's refusal to release a group of Palestinian political prisoners despite earlier pledges to do so.

Since then, all attempts to resume talks have failed, due mainly to Israel's continued insistence on building Jewish-only settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

Palestinian negotiators say such settlement-building must stop before a comprehensive peace agreement can be reached.