French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday to discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace process, two weeks after welcoming the new Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
During a working lunch at Elysee Palace, the French president will discuss with his Palestinian counterpart "the possible ways for a resumption of negotiations with a view to achieving a just and lasting peace" in the Middle East, said the presidency.
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French President Emmanuel Macron and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas earlier this year
(Photo: AFP)
The two leaders are also expected to discuss the food crisis caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which "particularly affects the countries of the Middle East."
The leaders spoke on the phone earlier in June with Macron expressing his "concern" at the "deterioration of the situation" in the Palestinian Territories as the peace process with Israel has been stalled since 2014.
During Lapid's visit, the French leader stressed that there was "no alternative to a resumption of political dialogue between the Israelis and the Palestinians." He also expressed his willingness to contribute to the resumption of the peace process, even "to mobilize the international community in its favor."
Lapid responded by saying he did not expect to have any immediate talks with Abbas, however, he did not “rule it out.”
Abbas, who has recently increased his travels after a two-year hiatus linked to the Covid pandemic, met last week in the West Bank, with U.S. President Joe Biden.
The latter reiterated his support for the two-state solution, but without giving impetus to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.