French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday called for an "unconditional" resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, reported dpa.
Hollande made the call after talks in Paris with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who blamed the deadlock in the peace process on the Palestinian refusal to engage with Israel while Israel continues building settlements.
Hollande said France was still committed to a two-state solution in the Middle East but warned the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas against trying to force the issue unilaterally.
"There is the temptation of the Palestinian Authority to seek at the UN General Assembly that which it fails to obtain through negotiation," he said, referring to Abbas's plans to seek enhanced "non-member observer state" status at the UN for a Palestinian state.
"Only negotiation can lead to a definitive solution to the situation of Palestine," Hollande insisted.