Sarkozy Proposes A Peace Conference To End the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Monday May 09, 2011 16:18 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli paper, Maariv, reported that French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, presented during his last week meeting with Israeli prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, a proposal for a peace conference in France aiming at signing a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians by the end of this month.

Maariv said that the proposal is based on three main points; Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders with land swap, East Jerusalem as the capital of the future Palestinian State, and finding a solution to the Palestinian refugees without allowing them back into what became Israel.

The proposal also states that the newly formed Palestinian state must recognize Israel as a state for the Jewish people.

Should Israel and the Palestinians agree to the deal and sign it, they must declare an end to the Palestinian-Israel conflict.

Maariv said that this is the first time France openly calls for recognizing Israel as a Jewish State after it became clear to France that Tel Aviv will not withdraw this demand.

It remains unclear whether other European countries, mainly Britain, would actually support this proposal.

On his part, Netanyahu asked the French President not to officially announce the initiative until he [Netanyahu] visits the United States to meet President Barack Obama, and deliver a speech to the Congress.

The Right of Return is a fundamental demand by the Palestinians to ensure a sort of justice to millions of refugees displaced when Israel was established in historic Palestine.

Israel refuses to allow the refugee back home as stated by UN General Assembly resolution #194, while some Israeli leaders proposed the return of thousands of Palestinians to the West Bank and not to their lands that are now considered part of the Israeli State.

Israel also refuses talks on borders, natural resources, and refuses any withdrawal from occupied East Jerusalem. Its refuses to recognize any United Nations or Security Council resolutions regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

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