RAMALLAH
French President Francois Hollande on Monday reiterated his county's support for a two-state solution to the perennial Israeli-Palestinian dispute with the city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) serving as capital of both states.
At a joint press conference with Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Hollande said that he recognized the right of the Palestinian people to an independent, democratic state.
He noted that peace talks were complicated, but stressed Paris' support for the negotiations in hopes of seeing Palestinians and Israelis living together in peace.
Hollande said that Jerusalem could serve as a capital for both Israel and a future Palestinian state, with secured borders between the two nations.
He urged Israeli leaders to halt the construction of Jewish-only settlements on Arab land, which, he said, served to undermine the so-called peace process.
The French leader said his country would continue to offer financial support to the Ramallsah-based Palestinian Authority.
Earlier in the day, Hollande arrived in Ramallah as part of a three-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.
On Sunday, he met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Abbas lauds French support, calls settlements 'biggest' peace threat
Palestinian President announces plans to sign cooperation agreements with the French president in the fields of water treatment, education and vocational training.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday described as "valuable" his talks with visiting French President François Hollande.
"I want to thank France for its efforts to alleviate the injustice done to the Palestinian people," Abbas told a joint press conference with Hollande in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
He said France planned to establish a French school in Ramallah, which, he expected, might serve as a role model.
Abbas also announced plans to sign a handful of cooperation agreements with the French president in the fields of water treatment, education and vocational training.
Describing the partnership with France as "extremely important," Abbas said Palestinians were hopeful that France would sponsor another donors' conference in Paris to discuss financial support for the Palestinian people.
In 2007, the French capital hosted a conference of international donors to the Palestinian Authority, which Abbas lauded as a major success.
-Settlement threat
Abbas described ongoing construction of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land as the biggest threat to Middle East peacemaking.
The UN considers all Jewish settlements built on occupied Palestinian territory as illegal.
"Aggressive actions by [Jewish] settlers and their attacks on holy sites are also causes of concern for us," Abbas said.
"Nevertheless, we're committed to a just and lasting peace with Israel; we consider peace our strategic choice," he added.
Abbas said he had discussed with Hollande means of pushing Palestinian-Israeli peacemaking forward in hopes of creating an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital.
Abbas said that establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel would be the only guarantee for calm and peace between Palestinians and Israelis.
He said that derailing peace efforts in Palestine would have adverse effects on neighboring countries and on international peace and security.
Following a three-year hiatus, the PA and Israel resumed peace talks in July in hopes of reaching a comprehensive final-status agreement.
Talks between the two sides generally take place behind closed doors, with results of negotiations seldom divulged to the media.
Abbas said that the Palestinians remain committed to being part of peace negotiations with the Israelis for nine months.
He went on to refer to an agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians to release 104 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
"But the Israelis are mistaken thinking they can go ahead with settlement construction in return for releasing the prisoners," Abbas said. "We're opposed to settlement building, period."
Hollande, for his part, reiterated his county's support for a two-state solution to the perennial Israeli-Palestinian dispute with Jerusalem serving as capital of both states.
Hollande said that he recognized the right of the Palestinian people to an independent, democratic state.
Hollande said that Jerusalem could serve as a capital for both Israel and a future Palestinian state, with secured borders between the two nations.
He urged Israeli leaders to halt the construction of Jewish-only settlements on Arab land, which, he said, served to undermine the so-called peace process.
By Anees Barghouti
englishnews@aa.com.tr
