Netanyahu Opposes French Proposals to Revive Peace Process

While Laurent Fabius, the French Foreign Minister, warned during his trip to the Middle East that the continued stagnation in Israeli-Palestinian political talks "could reignite tensions in the region," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his country does not accept "foreign plans" as they do not ensure Israel's security. According to Israeli media, Netanyahu made these remarks just hours before his meeting on Sunday, June 31, with the French Foreign Minister. Speaking at a government meeting in Jerusalem, Netanyahu added that Israel rejects foreign proposals that do not consider its security needs in order to ensure its safety and stability. Haaretz reported that Netanyahu's statements are a preemptive rejection of a plan that France has prepared to revive the peace process. Meanwhile, on the eve of the Fabius-Netanyahu meeting, the French Foreign Minister stated that the resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is a necessity. Fabius expressed this warning on Saturday, June 30, during a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo, stating that the freeze and deadlock in the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations is dangerous for both parties and the region. On Sunday, June 31, during a brief visit to the Jordanian capital, he reiterated this warning. Fabius has traveled to the region to present a draft plan aimed at Palestinian statehood to both Israeli and Palestinian parties. He once again called on Israel to halt construction in Palestinian territories for the sake of reviving the peace process. The draft resolution prepared by France calls for Israel to return to the 1967 borders and recommends Jerusalem as a shared capital for both Israel and Palestine, along with other solutions for fundamental issues in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. France intends to present its plan to the Security Council; Arab countries have already supported this plan, but the United States has opposed it at this time. The French Foreign Minister, who is on a two-day tour of Egypt, Jordan, the West Bank, and Israel, will hold separate meetings on Sunday, June 31, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem and Ramallah. The effort to renew peace talks by France comes amid renewed tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in recent days. On the first Friday of Ramadan, June 29, in an armed attack, an Israeli tourist was killed in the West Bank and another Israeli was injured. The "Marwan al-Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisha" brigades, affiliated with Hamas's military wing, claimed responsibility for this attack. Additionally, on Sunday, June 31, a Palestinian attacked an Israeli border guard soldier with a knife in East Jerusalem, severely injuring him. According to Israel Radio, the Jerusalem police have not ruled out that these attacks are related to Ramadan, during which Palestinian Islamist sentiments intensify. Iran is also at the forefront of Fabius's discussions with Israeli officials. Israeli media reported that Netanyahu will warn Fabius during their Sunday night meeting in Jerusalem about the "dangers of a bad nuclear deal" with Iran. Fabius is scheduled to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Luxembourg just hours after his meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister. According to the Jerusalem Post, Isaac Herzog, the leader of the Israeli opposition, also told the French Foreign Minister in a phone call on Friday, June 29, that "both Israel and the entire world will pay a heavy price for a bad deal with Iran." France has previously taken a tougher stance than other Western countries in the 1+5 group regarding Iran during the Geneva interim agreement and the Lausanne understanding. Only nine days remain until the deadline for nuclear talks between Iran and the 1+5 group.