French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that Israel must agree to a construction freeze within Judea and Samaria for international efforts for negotiations to succeed.
Kouchner made his comments at a joint press conference Thursday with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who reiterated that he will only meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu after a commitment to a construction freeze. Kouchner added that without such a commitment, it will be “almost impossible” to renew negotiations.