The Munich Security Conference ended yesterday (Sunday) with a session discussing “Israel, Palestine and the Middle East”. After Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant refused to take part in the discussion, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was called to fill his place.
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Olmert was allowed to speak before the other panelists, after which he left the room. The official reason given by the organizers to the spectators who expressed support for Olmert is that a former prime minister cannot participate in the panel with active foreign ministers. Despite this, the real reason is apparently the refusal of the Palestinian representatives to sit with Olmert at the same discussion table. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Malichi has already left the conference and Deputy Foreign Minister Amal Jado was sent in his place.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi admitted in a conversation with “Maariv” that at the moment there is no active initiative or organization to bring Israel and the Palestinian Authority to the negotiating table, and efforts are focused on “putting out fires” to prevent the situation from worsening.
Olmert at the Security Committee in Munich – archive (Photo: Tomer Neuberg, Flash 90)
According to him, in the next phase attempts are expected for an initiative whose form is only taking shape. First in a regional format and then expansion to Europe and other factors is possible.
Spadi also did not rule out the return to the Arab peace initiative put forward by Saudi Arabia and European Foreign Minister Borrell, but let it be understood that currently it is important to prevent a flare-up.
In his remarks at the panel, Spadi said that Israel’s latest steps deal a “death blow” to the possibility of a political horizon.
In a conversation with “Maariv” Amal Jado said that the Palestinian Authority continues its initiative to join the United Nations in the Security Council. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Bahrain, Abdullah Al-Khalifa, said that his country is right to help the Palestinians and that the Negev Forum in which Jordan and the Palestinian Authority are not members “is the place to do this”.
On another topic: the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mustafa Al-Kazimi, said that his country has excellent relations with Iran. Al-Kazimi invited all the countries in the region to invest in Iraq and support its economy, but he did not include Israel as a partner in the Abraham Accords. Israel also has no place in the regional organizations in which Iraq is a member.