Peace confab would endanger Israel

France’s announcement that it will try to convene an international conference to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been strongly criticized by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But before anyone concludes that only “right-wingers” oppose such a conference, it’s worth recalling that one of the most outspoken critics of the conference idea was prominent peace process player Yitzhak Rabin.

The year was 1985, and Rabin—later the co-signer of the Oslo Accords with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat—was Israel’s defense minister. Arab leaders had been pushing for the convening of an international peace conference. Rabin and other Israeli leaders were insisting on direct Arab-Israeli negotiations. In the United States, the Ronald Reagan administration had always supported Israel’s position. But in the spring of 1985, reports appeared in the press suggesting that Secretary of State George Shultz was starting to warm up to the idea of an international conference. A worried Rabin flew to the U.S. for top-level discussions.

Upon his arrival in the U.S., Rabin “made it clear he was concerned about Washington’s apparent weakening on the question of an international conference on the Middle East,” according to Near East Report, the weekly newsletter of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). 

“If they are ready to make peace, let’s negotiate [directly],” Rabin was quoted as saying. “If someone wants to undermine any hope of peace, an international conference and bringing in the Soviets is the best way.”

Rabin said that in his meetings with U.S. officials, “I heard about the ‘international umbrella’.” This was a phrase that some administration officials had begun using to try to sugarcoat the bitter pill. “Whenever anyone mention umbrella, it reminds me of Chamberlain and Munich,” Rabin declared.