WEB DESK
Delegates from 70 countries have called on Israel and the Palestinians to revive work toward long-elusive peace, including an independent Palestinian state.
The closing declaration at a Mideast peace conference in Paris on Sunday urged both sides to “officially restate their commitment to the two-state solution” and disassociate from voices that reject this. It also warned them against taking one-sided actions that could hurt talks, an apparent reference to Israeli settlement building.
While the Palestinians welcomed the declaration, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the conference “rigged” and cooked up behind Israel’s back to force it to accept conditions against national interests.
The French organisers argued the conference was necessary to keep hopes alive for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, the solution favoured by the international community for the past two decades.
Secretary of State John Kerry represented the US at today’s talks and defended the effort. He rejected Israeli criticism of the conference, saying the concept of a two-state solution to the conflict is “threatened” and must be reinforced if it is ever to happen.
He also warned that it’s too early to move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to contested Jerusalem, as proposed by Mr Trump. Trump’s administration did not take part in the meeting.