Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., September 06, 2008 Elul 6, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:17 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
President Shimon Peres and French President Nicolas Sarkozy Smiling before their talks at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday.
Last update - 23:15 10/03/2008
Sarkozy to Peres: France will always be at Israel's side
By The Associated Press
Tags: Nicolas Sarkozy, France 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, a self-proclaimed friend of Israel, said France would always be at Israel's side and insisted the best way for Israel to battle terrorism was to help restart the stalled Mideast peace process, as he welcomed President Shimon Peres for a five-day state visit.

French-Israeli ties have warmed considerably under Sarkozy after the 12-year tenure of his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, whom many saw as more pro-Arab.

But Sarkozy's France has reacted coolly to Israel's recent announcements that it was stepping up housing and apartment construction in the West Bank and in disputed East Jerusalem.
Advertisement
"Israel's security depends on a stop to the colonization," Sarkozy told Peres during their meeting at the Elysee Palace. The comments were relayed to reporters by French presidential spokesman David Martinon.

Earlier Monday, French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pascale Andreani reiterated that France condemns continued colonization that could threaten the creation of a viable Palestinian state. She urged Israel to refrain from any unilateral action that could threaten the final status of Palestinian territories or the peace process.

For his part, Sarkozy said "my conviction is clear: the best guarantee for Israel's security is the creation of a modern, democratic and viable Palestinian state before the end of 2008," according to Martinon.

On Sunday and Monday, Israel said it plans to build 400 homes in East Jerusalem, and another 750 apartments in Givat Ze'ev, a West Bank settlement just outside of Jerusalem.

Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Sarkozy, Peres said the terror attack that killed eight students at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem last week would not alter Israel's policy.

"What happened in Jerusalem was a real tragedy for us, but we don't intend to change our policies - namely, not to create new settlements," he said.

Peres also said France and Israel agreed that Iran presented the greatest current danger with its contested nuclear program. Many Western nations fear Tehran is hiding bomb-building ambitions. Iran insists its nuclear plans are peaceful.

Later, at a dinner in Peres' honor Monday evening at the Elysee Palace, Sarkozy pledged that France will always be beside Israel when its existence is thrown into question.

"Those who scandalously call for its destruction will always find France in front of them to stand in their way," he said.

Israeli flags lined the Champs-Elysee for Peres' state visit. Sarkozy, who took office in May, gave his guest a 19th-century engraving of a portrait of diplomat and writer Chateaubriand, and four old books. Peres dedicated an olive grove at a Holon agronomic school, near Tel Aviv, to the French leader.

During his visit, Peres planned to meet French Jewish leaders and other government officials, and to inaugurate a book fair celebrating Israeli literature. Sarkozy is expected to visit Israel in May.

Related articles:
  • In show of love for Israel, Sarkozy makes Peres his first official visitor
  • Sarkozy tells PM: Palestinian refugees will not return to Israel
  • Sarkozy hosts Netanyahu in Paris, backs new sanctions against Iran
  • Peres biography: Israel, France had secret pact to produce nuclear weapons
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Playing with fire
    Sarkozy warns Iran it risks Israeli strike on nuke program.
    Our own desert island
    Israel tries to lure 'Big Brother' type U.S. reality TV series.
      1.   Observation 23:23  |  Observer 10/03/08
      2.   Sarkozy is a Joke in France 23:28  |  Markus 10/03/08
      3.   are kouchner and sarkozy diconnected in their words about israel 23:31  |  michel 10/03/08
      4.   Especially with a former operative of Mossad 00:37  |  Paul Wood 11/03/08
      5.   Sarkozy a bigger moron than Peres (and that is saying something) 00:45  |  Chanalau, Tova 11/03/08
      6.   Israel stands alone 01:06  |  Euro-Jew 11/03/08
      7.   Israel will not survive like Apartheid in SA.. 01:30  |  Rasta 11/03/08
      8.   President Peres in France 01:35  |  MS 11/03/08
      9.   i luv it 01:52  |  alan 11/03/08
      10.   For the first time Sarkozy is talking some sense! 02:01  |  lakshmi 11/03/08
      11.   lmao at this worthless sarkozy idiot 02:12  |  frogster 11/03/08
      12.   Israel must stop occupying Gaza 04:20  |  lakshmi 11/03/08
      13.   For Paul Wood # 4 04:28  |  Fortuna Benmayor 11/03/08
      14.   WRONG, SARKOZY 07:07  |  indrajaya 11/03/08
      15.   to "Rasta" in Bangui (7) 07:34  |  Afrikaner 11/03/08
      16.   Sarkozy Message is Clear 06:54  |  Brett Chatz 12/03/08
      17.   France also supports Palestinians 19:00  |  Michel 12/03/08
      18.   Peres hero of Qana 03:41  |  Nada 13/03/08
      19.   NO LAND FOR PEACE EVER 20:40  |  RW 05/09/08
     Read & React
    Rosenblum: Israeli leaders want to be Obama
    Responses: 20
    Pfeffer: Jewish Agency has signed its own death certificate
    Responses: 70
    Greenberg: The hero on flight 11
    Responses: 20
    Nasrallah: We still seek fallen guerillas' bodies
    Responses: 58
    Top IDF officer: Israel not prepared for next war
    Responses: 47
    Chabad envoy to Alaska: Palin staunch friend of Jews
    Responses: 45


    More Headlines
    17:46 Peres and Abbas: We are closer than ever to peace
    16:25 Hamas' Meshal agrees to pass Noam Shalit's letter to Gilad
    16:25 Israel okays arms transfer to Palestinian Authority
    23:10 Israeli hacker arrested in Canada for $2 million online fraud
    23:17 Palestinians clash with IDF as Israel limits entry for Ramadan
    19:18 Why was airing of 1st Palestinian soap opera cancelled?
    18:26 Jewish World / The language of anti-Semitism
    20:53 VIDEO / Nasrallah: Freeing Shaba won`t stop struggle against Israel
    01:25 Chabad envoy to Alaska: Palin staunch friend of Jews
    14:27 McCain takes swipe at Bush, pledges to recover Americans' trust
    16:26 France mulls EU mission to help Palestinian security forces
    08:39 Top IDF officer: Israel not prepared for next war
    13:17 VIDEO / Police detonate device allegedly aimed for target of Bat Yam shooting
    10:08 Nir Barkat campaign first to pursue Anglo constituents in Jerusalem
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    JMG your online solution
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    MBA in Israel in English
    APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved