When outgoing French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced the French initiative to convene an international peace conference on a two-state solution on Jan. 29, it was perceived both in Jerusalem and Ramallah merely as a declarative gesture in order to bolster the position of embattled Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

But the French take their initiative more seriously. A French Foreign Ministry official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Paris is holding discreet talks with officials on the Israeli and Palestinian sides to explore whether a common basis for such an international conference could be established. According to the official, who is himself involved in those secret talks, there was no flat rejection by either of the parties on the principle of an international conference. Yet, the initial gap between the parties on the necessary foundations and terms of reference for such a conference is very significant — possibly insurmountable.

The initial Israeli reaction was that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not discuss the eventuality of a peace conference unless France withdraws its ultimatum of recognizing Palestine as a state (in case the initiative is rejected). Furthermore, officials in the prime minister’s office made it clear to the French that negotiations would have to be bilateral and unconditional. An international gathering without setting pre-conditions for negotiation could launch direct negotiations, as did the Madrid Conference of 1991 in which Netanyahu participated as deputy foreign minister.

The Palestinian position, as expressed to the French, is that the conference has to be based on the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002, referring to the 1967 lines as future borders and to East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. Establishing the Arab initiative as the basis for a peace conference would also bring about the support of most of the Arab League member states for a Palestinian diplomatic move.