The Arab League (AL) welcomed on Sunday a French initiative to revive the long-stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians and submit a new bill to the UN Security Council (UNSC) to end the Israeli occupation.

AL Assistant Secretary General for Palestine Affairs Mohamed Sobeih said the French initiative calls for resuming peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, forming a follow-up committee and rejecting settlement activities by Israel.

He stressed that the pan-Arab body seeks to reach comprehensive peace that covers all the Middle East countries.

Sobeih made reference to efforts exerted by the US, France, Denmark, and New Zealand to end the Israeli occupation by raising the issue at the UNSC.

He also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of hindering efforts aimed at bringing about peace in the Middle East region after forming an 'extremist government'.

Sobeih noted that AL Chief Nabil el Araby will visit Moscow soon as part of his endeavors to mobilize support for the Arab-French initiative at the UNSC.