Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem on Monday with visiting French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and offered him an alternative plan to the diplomatic initiative France is currently promoting in a bid to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Netanyahu has expressed Israel's opposition to the French initiative, which includes the holding of an international conference in Paris on June 3. Speaking to Valls on Monday, Netanyahu said, "Manuel, I am prepared to make difficult decisions. And if you really want to bring about peace, then help us launch direct negotiations with [Palestinian Authority President] Mahmoud Abbas. And that's why I would gladly accept a different French initiative, and here's the one important change. This initiative can still take place in Paris, because that would be a marvelous place to sign a peace accord. It's a marvelous place anyway. It can still be called the French initiative, because you would host this genuine effort for peace, but here's the difference: I will sit alone directly with President Abbas in the Elysee Palace, or anywhere else that you choose. Every difficult issue will be on the table: mutual recognition, incitement, borders, refugees and yes, settlements -- everything. "There is no issue too complex to solve if both sides are willing to talk to each other. And I am more than willing; I am eager. I was injured in battle; I lost a brother; I lost many friends in battle. Israel wants nothing more than peace. And I hope you encourage President Abbas to accept this French initiative: direct negotiations without preconditions, between the Israeli prime minister, the Palestinian president in Paris. "I'm ready to clear my schedule and fly to Paris tomorrow -- well, I think tomorrow we're expanding the government, but the day after tomorrow, Manuel. And it's an open offer. I will clear my calendar, and I hope that this is taken up by you and by the Palestinians. Israelis and Palestinians have suffered too much. It's time to sit down together and work out our differences so that peace may reign at long last." Netanyahu also noted, "Peace is achieved through direct negotiations between the parties, and in direct negotiations, the Palestinian leadership must face a stark choice, and this choice is simple: Recognize the Jewish state or continue educating your people that one day Israel will be gone. It will create a Palestinian state not to live side-by-side next to Israel, but to eliminate Israel. "So we want two states for two peoples, a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state. And I urge you not to let the Palestinian leadership shirk this difficult choice. The Palestinian leadership doesn't see the French initiative as an inducement to compromise, but rather as a way to avoid it. In fact, the Palestinian prime minister, [Rami] Hamdallah, let slip the other day his hope for an imposed timetable, rather than a negotiated peace." Valls said he would discuss Netanyahu's proposal with French President Francois Hollande. He further noted that France was in favor of anything that could aid the peace process and direct negotiations. Valls added that France was Israel's friend and would always take its security into account. The French prime minister also met with President Reuven Rivlin on Monday. Valls said, "You can rest assured that France is sincere in its intentions and desire to try and help Israelis and Palestinians once and for all find a way to a long-awaited peace." Valls also reiterated France's "unequivocal, undeniable commitment ... to the fight against anti-Semitism. We as the French people will not give up in this fight." Rivlin said, "The relationship between our countries is the continuation of long-standing strong and excellent relations between us." The president went on to say, "We are convinced, Mr. Prime Minister, friend of Israel, that the only way to bring an end to this tragedy of 150 years between us and our cousins the Palestinians, is through direct negotiations. In the Middle East, there are no shortcuts. Reaching an understanding and an agreement requires direct negotiations out of mutual trust, with both sides truly wanting to live side by side in peace in this land. The Israeli people are in no doubt of your sincere and good intentions to bringing a solution to the conflict, but we are concerned that going through international channels will make redundant our demand of the Palestinian side, and the Palestinian president, to come and talk directly with us in order to find a solution, a lasting solution for peace between us and others living in this land, the Palestinians."
