Palestinians Consider Supporting French Conference over its Own Resolution

Faced with the possibility of an American veto against the United Nations Security Council resolution it has been pushing that would label as “illegal” all Israeli communities located on land it conquered in the 1967 war and that the Palestinians claim for statehood, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is said to be weighing tabling it for now and putting efforts instead behind the French initiative which includes holding an international peace conference. For the Palestinians, the French option has the benefit of a higher chance of passage and French officials have vowed to recognize the state of Palestine if the resolution fails, causing Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to argue that the French promise of recognition removes any incentive for the Palestinians to compromise. This time, Netanyahu is not alone in his skepticism. Other capitals, notably including the US, agree that the French resolution is ambiguous. But if it happens, the international conference could come as early as this summer.