JNS
Ofer Bronchtein has been spearheading the effort to convene a conference to bypass Israel and create a Palestinian state.
Saudi Arabia and France plan to convene a peace conference in June in New York aimed at establishing a Palestinian state without Israeli involvement. Paris is organizing a preliminary conference to begin advancing this initiative.
Behind the initiative stands not only French President Emmanuel Macron but also his adviser on Middle East affairs and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Ofer Bronchtein.
Bronchtein is a French-Israeli "peace activist," and president and co-founder of the Paris-based International Forum for Peace.
The pair are set to host a diplomatic conference in Paris on June 11-13, serving as extensive preparation for the international conference scheduled at United Nations headquarters in New York on June 16-18. The conferences have a single objective—promoting the establishment of a Palestinian state without depending on a diplomatic process with Israel.
The Paris conference is expected to draw Israelis and Palestinians from across society—politicians, business leaders, academics, artists and civil society activists—alongside opinion leaders from Europe, Arab countries and throughout the world.
According to those behind the initiative, this represents the first such effort of its kind since the Oslo Accords and their accompanying international efforts, aiming "to build broad popular and professional support for practical steps toward regional peace, and to prepare the ground for the hoped-for breakthrough in New York."
‘Recognition of Israel by Arab countries'
The first conference will introduce a "Paris Call for Peace and Two States," advocating immediate steps: an immediate cessation of fighting in Gaza, immediate and unconditional release of all hostages; continuous access to coordinated humanitarian aid addressing Palestinian population needs; and launching an immediate international plan for Gaza reconstruction in partnership with local, regional and international stakeholders.
According to Bronchtein, though other initiators do not explicitly connect to this aspect, the goal also includes fostering recognition of Israel by Arab countries and the Palestinian state.
"The Paris conference will serve as a crucial preparation mechanism for the international conference in New York," Bronchtein explained in conversation with Israel Hayom.
"We expect that direct dialogue between hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians, together with opinion leaders from Europe and Arab countries, will formulate joint positions that will be presented to world leaders in New York as a new foundation for Middle East diplomacy and will showcase practical implementation paths for the two-state solution," he said.
"The New York conference will receive broad support from European and non-European nations, including Arab and Muslim countries, and we believe that the U.S. will play a central role in advancing this initiative," Bronchtein said.
According to the man widely considered the driving force behind the French initiative, "We believe the time has come to transition from conflict management to a genuine diplomatic solution ensuring long-term security, which we are committed to as part of the deep partnership between France and Israel.
"The French-Saudi initiative offers a practical and realistic pathway toward this goal, while safeguarding Israel's strategic security and fostering a stable, prosperous regional environment," Bronchtein said.
In Israel, officials express growing concern regarding the series of unilateral European initiatives to recognize a Palestinian state, particularly the planned New York conference.
However, it appears the diplomatic campaign against such moves is virtually nonexistent, as senior officials learn about these developments primarily through media reports.
This pattern continues against the backdrop of humanitarian aid approvals amid diplomatic pressure related partly to the French-Saudi initiative, reflecting the understanding that international actors are beginning to formulate approaches over Israel's head, with efforts at containment seemingly belated measures against an accelerating process.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
