Netanyahu: I Have Not Yet Decided to Meet Abbas Under the Russian Initiative

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he has not yet decided to meet with the President of the Palestinian Authority based on the Russian political initiative. According to Israel Radio, Netanyahu told Israeli reporters on Friday, September 12, that his preference remains for Mahmoud Abbas to return to the negotiating table for direct talks with Israel. Meanwhile, Mahmoud al-Majdalani, a senior official of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, reiterated on the same day that Palestinians view the Russian proposal positively. Additionally, Riyad al-Maliki, the Palestinian Authority's foreign minister, stated on 'Voice of Palestine' that the Russia meeting should take place when it leads to tangible results, and prior to that, Israel must release the fourth group of Palestinian security prisoners and cease settlement construction in the occupied territories. Mr. Maliki added that holding a meeting just for the sake of taking photos deepens Palestinian despair regarding achieving the independence of the Palestinian state. On the other hand, Israeli media reported that Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian President's special representative for preliminary negotiations regarding the peace revival meeting in Russia, will visit Israel and the West Bank in the coming days. In recent days, Israeli media reported that a delegation from the country's Foreign Ministry had traveled to Cairo to receive details from Egyptian officials regarding the Russian proposal. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi recently stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin informed him that he is ready to host a meeting between the Israeli Prime Minister and the President of the Palestinian Authority. In this context, Mahmoud al-Majdalani expressed concerns that Netanyahu's interest in the Russian initiative might be an attempt to overshadow the political initiative proposed by France in previous months. Netanyahu's strong opposition to the French plan effectively derailed a conference held two months ago in Paris, and with Israel's refusal to attend, France did not invite the Palestinians to participate either. Meanwhile, France has stated that it will hold another meeting before the end of this year to advance its plan. The French initiative was proposed amid escalating street violence between Palestinians and Israelis, with forty Israelis and over 260 Palestinians killed in the past eleven months, although the wave of violence has somewhat subsided in recent weeks. Additionally, Israeli newspapers reported on Friday, September 12, citing government sources, that Netanyahu is considering potential cooperation with the International Criminal Court in The Hague with a 'positive view.' Fatou Bensouda, the prosecutor of the Hague court, has made a formal request to visit Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. However, according to the Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu has not yet made a definitive decision on this matter. The International Criminal Court is tasked with investigating Israel's actions during the war in Gaza two years ago, which resulted in severe destruction and the deaths of over 2,400 Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority filed a complaint against Israel for 'war crimes' after the formal recognition of Palestinian membership in this court last year. Furthermore, reports indicate that the Palestinian Authority has intensified its political actions at the United Nations, aiming to issue a new resolution condemning construction in the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian political actions have intensified ahead of the UN General Assembly.