Yes, Israel likes Paris, but when it comes to peace, Cairo has become its new Mecca. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday night attempted to circumvent a French-led internationalised process due to launch Friday by proposing a regional one based on a revised version of the 2002 Saudi Peace Initiative. In so doing, he sounded as if he was finally responding to a 14 year old call by the Arab world to normalise relations with Israel in exchange for a withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines and a resolution to the issue of Palestinian refugees.

Because, hey, what is 14 years between “frenemies”? This is not the first time Netanyahu has spoken of the importance of regional players to the peace process, and of Saudi plan in particular as the basis for such talks. He mentioned it already last year upon his re-election and has resurrected it more clearly this month, including on twitter, as the specter of a French-brokered peace process becomes an increasing reality. But the statement he made on Monday night, as he stood together with his new Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, marks his most clear call to date.

“The Arab Peace Initiative [also known as the Saudi plan] includes positive elements that can help revive constructive negotiations with the Palestinians. We are willing to negotiate with the Arab states, revisions to that initiative, so that it reflects the dramatic changes in the region since 2002, but maintains the agreed goal of two-states for two peoples,” he said. “To this end, we welcome the recent speech by Egyptian President [Abdel Fattah] al-Sisi and his offer to help advance peace and security in the region,” Netanyahu said. The addition of the phrase, “peace and security,” is not random. Netanyahu has opposed the French initiative because he fears it would dictate the end results of any negotiations, before talks even began. It is already clear to him that those final terms would place maximum weight on a Palestinian vision of two-states and give minimal consideration to an Israeli one.

Read the full article at The Jerusalem Post.