The US does not plan to support a renewed French plan to push on the Israeli-Arab peace negotiations in a conference of close to 20 foreign ministers in Paris on May 30. According to Israeli pundits, Washington is not eager to let France lead the peace process, despite the fact that the Obama Administration has officially given up on reviving it by the end of its term.
Stae Dept. spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau said on Wednesday that the US remains “concerned about the continued violence on the ground and we welcome all ideas on moving this forward,” but “on this specific conference, on the May 30 event, no decision’s been made on participation. … We still remain in consultation with the French and other international partners on it.”
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls plans to visit Israel and the PA ahead of the May 30 conference, but so far neither side has expressed enthusiasm.