Israel's rejection of a new peace initiative by France was unsurprising, and its excuse flimsy. "Israel adheres to its position that the best way to resolve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is direct, bilateral negotiations," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, the French initiative does not preclude direct, bilateral negotiations. What it does do is propose an initial peace conference on May 30, which is reportedly expected to include some 30 countries and international organisations. That is the problem: Israel does not like outside mediation from any party except the US, because it knows that Washington - its closest and strongest ally - will never be a truly...
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