Israel's defence minister Avigdor Lieberman has slammed upcoming Middle East peace conference organised by France describing its as a "modern-day Dreyfus trial" and urged Jewish people in the country to move to Israel.
Representatives of around 70 countries are due to attend the January 15 conference aimed at restarting long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.
According to Ynetnews, Mr Lieberman told a meeting of the Yisrael Beytenu party, which he leads: "This is not a peace conference. It's a tribunal against the state of Israel," Lieberman told members of his Yisrael Beitenu party, according to a recording released by the party.
"It's a Dreyfus trial in a modern version, what they're preparing there in Paris for January 15, with one difference. Instead of one Jew being on trial, it will be the entire Jewish people and the state of Israel."
"This summit's entire purpose is to undermine the state of Israel's security and tarnish its good name. It adds to the difficult climate that exists in France anyway against Jews," he said on Monday.
He further urged the Jewish residents of France to leave the country and move to Israel
"Perhaps it's time to tell the Jews of France — this isn't your country, this isn't your land. Leave France and come to Israel. That's the only response to this plot. If you want to remain Jews and keep your children and grandchildren Jewish, leave France and make aliyah to Israel,"he added.
Israel has long maintained that only direct negotiations with the Palestinians can lead to peace and sees France's efforts as a diversion. It declined its invitation.
The French Foreign Ministry said the conference was designed to "re-affirm the international community’s commitment to two sides, living side by side in safety and security and to re-emphasise how crucial the [two-state] solution is", according to the Times of Israel.
