An international meeting of government ministers in Paris to discuss Gaza’s post-war transition concluded a short while ago, an official from the French embassy in Israel tells The Times of Israel.
The meeting was attended by representatives from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, the European Union, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Indonesia, Turkey and Canada, the official says, though they could not yet confirm if all representatives were at the ministerial level.
Among the topics to be discussed at the meeting were the presence of peacekeeping troops, a legal framework for a postwar plan, and ensuring Hamas can no longer pose a threat were among the topics to be discussed at the meeting, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said earlier today.
At the opening of the meeting, French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot hailed the progress of US President Donald Trump’s plan for ending the war in Gaza, telling attendees: “Our collective duty is to make President Trump’s plan a success on the ground. To be united for peace.”
“Today and in the times to come, let us spare no creative efforts to achieve peace and security, for Israelis, Palestinians, and for the whole region. All hands on deck,” he said in a readout from the embassy.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was reportedly also set to attend the meeting, but Israel was said yesterday to request from the Trump administration that Washington not take part, fearing it could divert progress on Trump’s plan.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the summit “unnecessary and harmful” yesterday, reiterating criticism of French President Emmanuel Macron, who has drawn sharp rebuke in Israel for leading a joint French–Saudi effort to push Western countries to recognize a Palestinian state and promote a long-term two-state solution, which Israel rejects, in a bid to resolve the Gaza conflict.
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