France promotes regional framework for Mideast conflict

French President Francois Hollande has decided to launch an initiative convening an international conference on the Middle East, out of concern that the current political stalemate is leading to a violent deterioration in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and possibly also in Gaza. This decision is yet another sign that Europe wakes up when the United States starts to give up on the region, a senior source at the French Foreign Ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity told Al-Monitor. .

The French analysis leading to this move holds the Palestinian issue as central to regional stability. The fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq does not lessen the importance of solving the Palestinian issue, but actually calls more urgently for a viable peace process.

"The last thing the Middle East needs right now, with the backdrop of Muslim fundamentalism inflaming the region, is a violent outbreak between Muslims and Jews over Jerusalem," said the French diplomat.

The French, who have already conveyed their thoughts to Washington and to most European capitals, want to engage the parties in a process that would create an international umbrella for future peace-making. They are eager to prevent a US veto on a Security Council resolution over Palestine. Thus, they are contemplating transforming the new initiative for a framework for convening an international conference into a Security Council resolution to be added to precedent resolutions 242 and 338. The proposed framework would limit the negotiations for a two-state solution to a period of two years. Paris is attempting to coordinate with Jordan, the current Arab representation on the Security Council.