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Last update - 23:32 20/10/2009
Israel refuses to let French FM visit Gaza
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel Diplomacy 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not grant French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner permission to visit the Gaza Strip, an Israeli official said on Tuesday.

Kouchner had requested to travel to the coastal territory during his upcoming visit to Israel and the West Bank.
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According to the official, Netanyahu sent a message to the French minister saying he could not accede to his request as Hamas would likely take advantage of the visit to create a media frenzy and parade the damages caused by Israel during the Gaza war earlier this year.

On his intented visit to Gaza, Kouchner had planned to observe the construction being done in collaboration with the French at the Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City.

Netanyahu two months ago granted French President Nicolas Sarkozy permission for France to take part in construction of the damaged hospital.

Israel had denied similar requests in the past from Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Netanyahu last week expressed disappointment and dissatisfaction with the French, after they abstained from a UN vote on the Goldstone Commission's report on the Gaza war.

The report accuses Israel and the Palestinian militants Hamas of war crimes during the Gaza offensive in December 2008. The UN vote passed the controvertial report which demands Israel to investigate war crime charges.

The French FM's visit to the region had been delayed due to a special convention for the EU Foreign ministers in Brussels and will likely take place in November.


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      1.   yes we cant show hamas acting like a regular gov. can we? 23:00  |  not surprised 20/10/09
      2.   Kouchner should go by sea 23:05  |  BDS 20/10/09
      3.   But it`s not occupied then, right? 23:24  |  Johnboy 20/10/09
      4.   France fails to support Israel on Goldstone, then wants a favor 23:36  |  Raymond in DC 20/10/09
      5.   Kochner 23:49  |  jos 20/10/09
      6.   Israel refuses to let French FM visit Gaza 23:49  |  Alan Davis 20/10/09
      7.   Kouchner 23:53  |  Hugh 20/10/09
      8.   Ha! Not a media frenzy in Gaza that Netanyahu is fearful of... 00:07  |  Maureen Ann 21/10/09
      9.   Nothing like acting guilty when your protesting innocence 00:10  |  Mark Lincoln 21/10/09
      10.   Vive la France! 00:38  |  northern neighbor 21/10/09
      11.   Great PR 00:51  |  WHG 21/10/09
      12.   Idea... 00:59  |  Yosemite 21/10/09
      13.   Arrogance or fear? 01:35  |  Welshman 21/10/09
      14.   Why Do They Keep Putting Israel On The Radar Screen 01:58  |  Eli 21/10/09
      15.   FM`s visit 02:21  |  Neil 21/10/09
      16.   How many mistakes can Bibi make.... 02:25  |  allang 21/10/09
      17.   And Veto the Goldstone report at the UN? 03:06  |  jim the mechanic 21/10/09
      18.   Hiding the scene of the crime. 03:26  |  Kelly 21/10/09
      19.   Supercilious Nonsense 03:51  |  Raphael 21/10/09
      20.   israel doesn`t seem to have learned any lessons 04:39  |  eric 21/10/09
      21.   embarrassed Frencman 04:58  |  claude 21/10/09
      22.   We have nothing to hide, that is why you can`t see it! 05:25  |  Mark Lincoln 21/10/09
      23.   If he wants to go to Gaza...... 05:29  |  leoblue 21/10/09
      24.   #10 leoblue 07:12  |  Johnboy 21/10/09
      25.   Gaza not occupied any more????? 08:46  |  Kilminster 21/10/09
      26.   Go through Egypt 09:46  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 21/10/09
      27.   Just been cancelled, guys `n` gals 11:24  |  Johnboy 21/10/09
      28.   Does Bibi afraid that one more world leader..... 15:14  |  Nicolas Bertrand 21/10/09
      29.   You ask why Chaim? 15:41  |  John 21/10/09
      30.   Typical 16:18  |  ragged soul 21/10/09
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