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Sarkozy urges settlement freeze

by Dave Keating | June 23, 2008 at 07:38 am | 131 views | add comment

French president Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to the Israeli Knesset, or parliament, was notable for its distinct difference in tone not only from US president George Bush's address to the same body recently, but also from the recent speeches given to US Israel lobbying organization AIPAC in Washingto recently by US presidential canddiates.

Sarkozy stressed that the West Bank settlement by Israelis must stop in order for their to be peace, something not emphasized by either the current or the aspiring US presidential candidates.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for an end to Jewish settlement construction on Palestinian land, in an address to Israeli MPs.

He told the Israeli Knesset that without this there would be no lasting peace in the Middle East.

On the first French state visit to Israel in 12 years, he said a peace agreement would allow the two peoples to live in peace and security.

Mr Sarkozy also told MPs that France would not accept a nuclear-armed Iran.