PARIS (JTA) — The French Foreign Ministry rebuked Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent vow to keep Jerusalem as the undivided Israeli capital.
“In the eyes of France, Jerusalem must – in the framework of a negotiated peace accord – become the capital of two states,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Frédéric Desagneaux on Friday, the day after the Israeli prime minister made his remarks.
The foreign ministry went on to criticize Netanyahu’s precipitated remarks, saying they, “prejudged the final status” of a possible accord between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
“Whereas it is up to both parties to come to a final and general agreement on the final status, which will put an end to the conflict,” Desagneaux said
Netanyahu reiterated that Jerusalem “would forever remain” the unified capital of Israel, during the 42nd annual commemoration of reunification of Jerusalem on May 21.
Under the leadership of President Nicolas Sarkozy, France has redirected its Middle East foreign policy toward brokering an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.
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