Macron Trapped on the Sidelines

Is President Emmanuel Macron out to sabotage President Trump’s efforts on Gaza? American, Arab, and Israeli sources are expressing unprecedented optimism that an agreement on the American plan is close at hand, saying it could be agreed on as early as this weekend. At the same time, and to America’s and Israel’s chagrin, Monsieur Macron is gathering a group of foreign ministers at Paris tomorrow to ponder the future of Gaza. The French president is in trouble. His latest prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, just became after a month in office the fifth premier to resign during Mr. Macron’s presidency. France’s economy is in shambles. Former allies denounce the president’s policies. Earlier this week Monsieur Macron was spotted wandering alone by the Seine — perhaps stewing on France’s old colonial sandbox, the Mideast, and resenting the rise of Mr. Trump. That is the context of the powwow at Paris of European and Arab foreign ministers who will gather to discuss Gaza’s future. They will gather at the same time that Mr. Trump’s envoys are huddled at Sharm al Sheikh, Egypt, alongside Qatari, Turkish, and Israeli counterparts to finalize details of Mr. Trump’s 20-point plan. Reporters at Washington and in the Mideast cite sources on all sides as saying they are closer to a final deal than ever. “I hope that the current move of the French government will not undermine the critical negotiations for the release of hostages, as it already happened in the past,” Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, writes on X. “We view this as yet another attempt by President Macron to divert attention from his domestic problems at Israel’s expense.” Paris diplomats say the conference will hash missing details in Mr. Trump’s plan. Will they?Beside the Arab invitees to Mr. Macron’s parlay, it will be attended by countries that flew to the United Nations last month to enthusiastically endorse France’s recognition of a Palestinian state. They include Spain, whose prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, is the European leader most hostile to the Jewish state. Inviting such governments to discuss Israel’s future while excluding Israel from the conference is “outrageous,” Mr. Sa’ar writes. Secretary Marco Rubio, in a last-minute decision Wednesday, canceled a plan to join the parley at Paris. Instead, he is flying to Sharm al Sheikh, where the real action is. As the dust settles over events of the last few weeks, it seems ever so clear that Israel’s strike at Doha was a major catalyst for progress in Mr. Trump’s plans. Qatar received an Israeli apology and a vow by America to protect it from future attacks — with strings attached. Israel failed to kill the intended target, Hamas leader Khalil al Hayya, who is reportedly present in the Sharm al Shaikh talks. Yet, the Qataris were so spooked by the brazen nature of the strike that they sought, and got, Mr. Trump’s vow of American protection. The president, though, reportedly made an undisclosed condition for his executive order. Qatar must pressure its client, Hamas, to accept onerous war-ending conditions. Some of the plan’s 20 points — like disarming Hamas — could prove tricky. Yet if the first point, the release of all 48 hostages, including 20 living ones, is achieved in the next few days, it would be no small thing. Not since Charles of Gaulle turned against the Jewish state in 1967 has there been such a blunder as Mr. Macron is making. If the bet by America and Israel is redeemed the French president will be remembered for his absence.

Macron Trapped on the Sidelines

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