Biden: Israel normalisation delivering results
The main architect of the initiative, EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans, said that the plan's contributors are "envisaging … what regionally and globally everybody would contribute..."
(TIMES OF ISRAEL) – Nearly 30 foreign ministers from Europe and the Middle East met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Monday to unveil a new initiative aimed at reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
The “Peace Day Effort” was driven by the European Union, Saudi Arabia, the Arab League, Egypt and Jordan, who agreed to produce a “Peace Supporting Package” that will maximise dividends for Israelis and Palestinians, once they reach a peace agreement.
The main architect of the initiative, EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans, said that the plan’s contributors are “envisaging … what regionally and globally everybody would contribute the moment that there is an Israeli-Palestinian agreement”.
Koopmans clarified that those behind the Peace Day Effort are not trying to negotiate an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, since only the parties themselves can do this.
“What we are now starting to do is to say, ‘If you reach that agreement … this is what we would contribute as your neighbours, as your friends and potential future friends to your peace’.”
Meanwhile at the United Nations, US president Joe Biden addressed the push for Arab states to normalise relations with Israel, particularly Saudi Arabia, appearing to defend the effort despite the lack of progress on the Palestinian front.
“It demonstrates how Israel’s greater normalisation and economic connections with its neighbours is delivering positive and practical impacts even as we continue to work tirelessly to support a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, two states for two people,” he said.
It comes as a Saudi-owned newspaper reported that the nation is freezing US-brokered efforts to normalise relations with Israel because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline government is unwilling to make any concessions to the Palestinians.
An Israeli and an American official both said the report was false.
According to the report in the Elaph newspaper, supposedly citing officials in Netanyahu’s office, the US has informed Israel of the Saudi stance. It said that Israel was “confused” by the move, believing that the Saudis were prepared to move ahead with normalising ties without linking it to progress on the Palestinian issue.
The report singled out the insistence by far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir that Israel not make any concessions to the Palestinians, adding that without progress with Ramallah, there could be no progress with Riyadh.
Last month, Netanyahu indicated that he was open to gestures to Palestinians if a normalisation deal with Saudi Arabia depended on it, and hinted that he would not let coalition members block an agreement.
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