France stokes Israeli anger hosting Gaza 'day after' meeting with Arab and European states

Ceasefire talks on good track, says Egypt, as hopes rise that deal may be in reach

France recognised the state of Palestine last month, angering Israel. EPA

France has provoked Israeli anger by organising a meeting with Arab and European ministers in Paris on Thursday on the "day after" situation in Gaza, as ceasefire talks concluded in Egypt.

The meeting addresses "the main parameters of the day after" in Gaza and how to establish co-operation, a French diplomatic source said. "These main parameters fall into three main areas: security, governance and reconstruction. The aim is to specify the terms of collective engagement for each of these main areas."

Among those scheduled to attend are Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, the EU's foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, and foreign ministers from the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey.

Yvette Cooper, the UK foreign minister, said she would travel on Thursday afternoon to the gathering. "Later today I will be travelling from here with the German foreign minister, my colleague, to Paris for the discussions about how all nations can support the immensely work that has been done thus far on President Trump’s peace initiative, but also how we make sure that we take it forward," she said.

Israel's anger

The agreement of phase one of President Donald Trump's ceasefire deal sets the stage for the gathering.

Overnight Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had reacted angrily to the French invitations. He claimed the meeting had been "concocted behind Israel's back" and described it as "unnecessary and harmful".

"We view this as yet another attempt by President Macron to divert attention from his domestic problems at Israel’s expense," he said, as the French leader tries to salvage his government at home.

"The participants may, of course, discuss whatever topics they wish — but there will be no arrangements in Gaza formulated without Israel’s consent."

Axios reported that Israel had urged the US not to take part in the meeting, saying it would undermine White House peace efforts. Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, pulled out of a trip.

French authorities said they had been in touch with Israel and the Palestinian Authority, "but bringing them together around the same table is not yet possible at this stage", the French source said. Canada and Indonesia have also been invited.

As momentum builds for a ceasefire, talks are to be held in Paris on how post-war Gaza should be managed. AP

French-Israeli relations are at an all-time low since France led an international effort by 11 countries to recognise Palestinian statehood last month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The French diplomat rejected the idea that France's political crisis weakened its diplomacy. "Despite the turbulence in our domestic political life, [Thursday's meeting] bears witness to the vigour of French diplomacy and its capacity to be a driving force in finding solutions to the main crises of our time," they said.

France hopes to build on the momentum of continuing ceasefire talks in Egypt.

Those at Thursday's meeting will discuss the international stabilisation force that has been proposed for postwar Gaza, according to US President Donald Trump's peace plan unveiled last week.

This reflects the same idea set out in the French-led New York Declaration for a two-state solution, adopted last month by 142 nations, of a "temporary international stabilisation mission" under the aegis of the UN, the French source said.

At the meeting, talks will also touch on "the issue of disarming Hamas and the support that must be provided to the Palestinian security forces", they said. "On the reconstruction side, we will also discuss the issues of humanitarian aid and the multilateral framework for reconstruction."

At the UN General Assembly meeting, US, European and Arab officials discussed how security in post-war Gaza would be managed.

Speaking in Paris last week, Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said it was important this peacekeeping force obtain a mandate from the UN Security Council. "The issue of law enforcement and public enforcing public order should be on the hands of the Palestinians," he said.