Israel Watches Unimpressed as Nations Gather to Decide Fate of Holy Land
Sunday, January 15, 2017 | Ryan Jones
The nations of the world gathering in Paris on Sunday to determine the fate of the Holy Land. Israel was not among them, and watched wholly unimpressed as the international diplomats engaged in “pointless” dialogue.
Trying to sound a note of balance, French President Francois Hollande said that both Palestinian terrorism and Jewish settlements are holding up peace in the Middle East.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was dismissive.
“The conference that is convening today in Paris is a pointless conference,” he said at the start of Sunday’s cabinet meeting. “It was coordinated by the French and the Palestinians and aims to force conditions on Israel that conflict with our national interests.”
In a none-too-subtle reference to Donald Trump’s inauguration later this week as president of the United States, Netanyahu said that Israel need hold fast only a little longer.
The Paris conference “is among the last remnants of the world of yesterday,” the prime minister said. “Tomorrow will look different, and that tomorrow is very close.”
Trump was actually a major topic of discussion at the Paris confab.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault blasted the US president-elect over his firm commitment to finally move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to the Israeli capital of Jerusalem, in accordance with US law.
“When you are president of the United States, you cannot take such a stubborn and such a unilateral view on this issue. You have to try to create the conditions for peace,” insisted Ayrault.
The Palestinian have threatened to “unleash hell” if Trump actually goes through with the embassy move.
The French criticism of Trump was sure to delight outgoing US Secretary of State John Kerry, who was in attendance.
