CMEP Bulletin: French Plan Peace, Israel Goes Hawkish

CMEP Bulletin: French Plan Peace, Israel Goes Hawkish

Kerry Says Will Attend Paris Conference on Palestinian-Israeli Peace [The Jerusalem Post]
The United States plans to attend a June 3 Paris meeting that will launch a French-led peace initiative that would set a framework for renewed talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

Netanyahu Urges France to Ditch Regional Parley, Set Up Two-way Summit With Abbas [Haaretz]
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged his French counterpart to ditch the idea of a regional peace conference in Paris and, instead, to set up a bipartite meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinians Reject Netanyahu’s Call for Direct Paris Talks [Jerusalem Post]
The Palestinians on Monday rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call to hold direct talks in Paris under the auspices of the French government.

Likud and Yisrael Beytenu Sign Coalition Agreement [Times of Israel]
Negotiators for Likud and Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu parties reached an agreement overnight Tuesday that will bring Beytenu into the coalition and name him defense minister, officials in both parties confirmed.

Herzog Declares Coalition Talks ‘over and done’ [Times of Israel]
Opposition leader rejects Netanyahu’s offer of Foreign Ministry, says PM ‘beholden to the most extremist elements.’

Click here to read the full Churches for Middle East Peace Bulletin, including links to these stories.