(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) French President Francois Hollande will meet here Tuesday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the tense situation in the Occupied Territories and other questions, official sources said.
The Elysee Palace announced the two leaders will be meeting at midday in the French capital and there are a number of important issues on the agenda.
These include the outburst of violence in Jerusalem after Israeli security services invaded the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in support of intrusions by Ultra-Orthodox Jews seeking to enter the area.
The police were met with protests from Palestinians and the Israelis used flash-balls, CS gas and rubber bullets, injuring a number of people. The Israeli police also attacked journalists covering the protests and injured at least 10 Palestinian reporters and cameramen, arresting some and also breaking camera equipment.
International Press Freedom organisation, Reporters Without Borders (RWB), which is headquartered in Paris, last week firmly condemned the Israeli police action.
Hollande and Abbas will also be discussing the forthcoming UN General Assembly which starts next week in New York.
The Palestinian flag now flies at the UN building after the Palestinians were granted "Non-Member" observer status at the august organisation, a move that was strongly protested by Israel, backed by the United States, but only 8 out of almost 200 UN member voted against flying the Palestinian flag at the UN.
Flagging French efforts to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process will also be on the agenda for the leaders' talks here Tuesday.
In June, during a visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius discussed a proposal for a UN Security Council Resolution to set up an "accompanying" international framework, including the Security Council, members of the European Union, Arab nations and other concerned parties, to give a boost to the stalled peace process and set out deadlines for progress on Palestinian Statehood and for resolving other contentious questions.
But Israel flatly rejected the French move and the US did not offer strong support in the Security Council, which put a virtual end to the French plan because of the risk of a US veto.
But Paris is mulling suggesting an international conference to garner support for the resumption of negotiations. However, in the current climate of violence and tension, such a proposal is unlikely to get immediate backing.
While France has said that the flying of Palestinian flag at the UN is "a step forward" for establishing a Palestinian State, Paris has so far not gone as far as recognising this State, unlike the position taken by a number of countries.
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