France condemns Israeli settlement plans for West Bank

French authorities on Friday condemned an Israeli project to expand two illegal settlements in the West Bank, a move that will add further fuel to the fire and exacerbate Palestinian frustrations with Israels settlement policy, which is viewed as the major obstacle to resuming peace talks. "France condemns the registering for public examination of two settlement-building projects affecting 1,000 housing units in two settlements in the West Bank," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Paris pointed out that the Israeli plan was "contrary to international law" and goes against efforts by the US Administration to restart a credible peace process that would lead to a two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "The Israeli authorities must go back on this decision and avoid such gestures in the future," the statement said. French Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the latest Israeli action shows that "status quo is untenable" and the parties must "re-engage rapidly in credible negotiations, without preconditions."