PARIS // Leading diplomats from around the world on Friday endorsed French-led efforts to revive peace talks aimed at “fully ending” Israel’s occupation of lands the Palestinians seek for their state.
“A negotiated two-state solution is the only way to achieve an enduring peace, with two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security,” said a joint communique issued after a meeting in Paris.
The meeting was attended by US secretary of state John Kerry, United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon as well as representatives from the Arab League, the European Union and key Arab states. Neither Israeli nor Palestinian representatives attended the talks, which are aimed at laying the ground for a full-fledged peace conference to be held by the end of the year.
Indirect peace talks between the two sides collapsed more than two years ago, and the French foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, warned that the diplomatic void meant the prospect of a two-state solution to the decades-long conflict was in “serious danger”.
The communique said the status quo was unsustainable and “actions on the ground, in particular continued acts of violence and ongoing settlement activity, are dangerously imperiling the prospects for a two-state solution”.
It called on the two sides to create conditions for “fully ending the Israeli occupation that began in 1967”, a rhetorical shift from what Washington, Israel’s main ally, has previously endorsed. It was not immediately clear whether the shift meant a new focus, and the participants could not outline how they might achieve that goal.
But senior Palestinian official Saeb Erakat said the talks sent a clear message to Israel.
“The Paris meeting is a very significant step and its message is clear: if Israel is allowed to continue its colonisation and apartheid policies in occupied Palestine, the future will be for more extremism and bloodshed rather than for coexistence and peace,” he said.
Mr Ayrault said the talks were focused on the 2002 Saudi-led Arab peace initiative.
Under that proposal, Arab leaders offered to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied since 1967, and the creation of a Palestinian state.
At the time, the plan was largely ignored by Israel, but Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week he would be open to renegotiating aspects of it with the Palestinians.
Speaking after the meeting, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Adel Al Jubeir, rejected this idea, saying the Arab peace initiative already contained “all the elements for a final settlement”.
“To argue that the Arab peace initiative should be watered down to accommodate the Israelis is not a wise approach,” he said.
“It provides Israel with a lot of incentives and it’s incumbent on the Israelis to accept that.”
Mr Ayrault said the meeting agreed to set up teams by the end of the month to work on economic and security incentives for the Israelis and Palestinians for reaching a deal.
In his opening speech, French president Francois Hollande said: “Our initiative aims at giving them guarantees that the peace will be solid, sustainable and under international supervision.”
Mr Kerry was non-committal when asked if he would support an international conference later this year, with Israelis and Palestinians attending.
“We’re just starting, let’s get into the conversations,” he said.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rebuffed the French initiative. Mr Netanyahu’s spokesman David Keyes said on Friday that “peace is not going to come through imposition”.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has welcomed France’s efforts, in part because it could potentially end a two-decade-old US monopoly on mediation. Palestinians have long complained that the US heavily favours Israel and cannot serve as an honest broker.
The Palestinians seek to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967.
In 2012, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly recognised a state of Palestine in these boundaries, though setting up an actual state would require a deal with Israel.
* Associated Press and Agence France-Presse
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
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MATCH INFO
What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae
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Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Ed Norton, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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Results
2pm: Serve U – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Violent Justice, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
2.30pm: Al Shafar Investment – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: Desert Wisdom, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ahmed Al Shemaili
3pm: Commercial Bank of Dubai – Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Fawaareq, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
3.30pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
4pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Rakeez, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
4.30pm: Al Redha Insurance Brokers – Handicap (TB) Dh78,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Capla Crusader, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
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WORLD RECORD FEES FOR GOALKEEPERS
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2) Alisson, Roma to Liverpool (£67m)
3) Ederson, Benfica to Manchester City (£35m)
4) Gianluigi Buffon, Parma to Juventus (£33m)
5) Angelo Peruzzi, Inter Milan to Lazio (£15.7m
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Thursday Beat Sydney 2-0 in Sydney
Saturday v Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney
Wednesday v Bayern Munich in Shanghai
July 22 v Chelsea in Beijing
July 29 v Benfica in London
July 30 v Sevilla in London
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Last-16
France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')
Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Bahrain%20GP
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The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
Brief scoreline:
Burnley 3
Barnes 63', 70', Berg Gudmundsson 75'
Southampton 3
Man of the match
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
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