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Source: http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=169317
French Recognition of Palestinian State Will Hurt Peace
(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - A French proposal to recognize a Palestinian state even before any agreement is reached with Israel is likely to stiffen the position of PA leader Mahmoud Abbas and push off direct negotiations between the sides even further, Israeli officials said on Sunday. Senior Israeli government officials said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's position is that diplomatic matters will only move forward through direct negotiations with the Palestinians, and that the Palestinians will be reticent to both enter into negotiations and to make concessions if they believe that the international community will give them what they want regardless of what they do. Anything that strengthens the impression that someone from the outside will "deliver" Israel is counterproductive, one official said.