Middle East donor talks to be held in Paris

FOLLOWING the revival of a Middle East peace process between Israel and the Palestinians at Annapolis on Tuesday, France said it will host a donor conference in Paris on December 17.

The conference aims to gather money from about 80 countries, including Ireland, for the establishment of an eventual Palestinian state.

“We want participation to be as extensive as possible,” said French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner at the Annapolis conference.

“But the ambition of the Paris conference is broader... The daily life of the Palestinians — comprised of frustration and misery — must change as quickly as possible.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed yesterday that a government minister will attend next month’s conference, but said it had not yet been decided which minister.

Ireland is also set to pledge money, although a figure has not been finalised. Last year Ireland contributed €6.4 million to Palestine — up 40% on the previous year’s contribution — and this year more than €7m has been donated.

The fundraising drive is for funds for the political intentions and engagements made by Israel, the Palestinians and the US.

“Donations and monetary support don’t remove the challenges that President Abbas is facing on the ground,” said Haim Malka, deputy director of Washington think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

He said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s main challenges include his lack of control over the Palestinian territory and the risk of armed resistance to the conference’s program.

Mr Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert both committed to working towards a treaty on a two-state solution to the conflict by the end of 2008.

But critics say there must be significant changes in the Palestinian territories, notably increased popular support of the process and enhanced security.

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad put forward a plan to reform institutions and support growth in the Palestinian territories — a plan which Mr Kouchner called “very solid”.

Hamas fired rockets into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday in protest against the conference and yesterday, hundreds of Palestinian protest- ers scuffled with police in the West Bank.

Prime Minister Olmert also faces problems.

“The fact that the conference proposes to clear some Jewish settlements in the West Bank will prove extremely divisive,” said Mr Malka.

The next meetings between the Israeli, Palestinian and American negotiating teams are in Jerusalem on December 12, ahead of the Paris talks on December 17.