France convenes peace talks; Saudi’s Jubeir says Arab peace plan best option for Israel
PARIS – Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Friday that the basis for any future peace plan between Israelis and Palestinians remained a 2002 Arab offer, and urged Israel to accept it.
“The Arab peace initiative has all the elements for a final settlement,” Adel al-Jubeir told reporters after a conference in Paris.
“It is on the table and a solid basis for resolving this long-standing dispute … we hope that wisdom will prevail in Israel and that they accept this initiative.
French President Francois Hollande is scheduled to kick off an international conference on the Middle East in Paris Friday morning with the participation of 26 countries and international organizations, but not Israel nor the Palestinian Authority.
Israel has come out adamantly against the summit, with Foreign Ministry director-general Dore Gold saying on Thursday that it will fail. The Palestinian Authority has warmly welcomed the conference.