Israel Prods France to Stick to Guns on Iran Nuclear Talks
Standing Strong: French President Francois Hollande has taken a tougher line than other Western powers on Iran. Israel wants him to stick to his guns. Image by getty images
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressed France on Friday not to weaken in its stance toward Iran in upcoming talks on the Islamic state’s nuclear programme, days before President Francois Hollande is due to visit Israel.
Iran has accused France of blocking agreement last week at talks between Tehran and six world powers in Geneva. Iran is seeking relief from international sanctions, while the six demand curbs in its nuclear activities, including enrichment of uranium.
Hollande travels to Israel on Tuesday for the first time since his election 18 months ago, a visit aides say will focus on the next round of talks in Geneva starting on Wednesday.
“We hope that France will not weaken,” Netanyahu told Le Figaro daily in an interview. “We salute (Hollande’s) consistent and determined position on the Iranian issue.”
Netanyahu reiterated his government’s opposition to Iran pursuing any research that could lead to the development of a nuclear weapon, saying it should not possess heavy water reactors or centrifuges used to enrich radioactive material. Tehran says it wants nuclear energy for electricity, not bombs.
Hollande has opposed lifting any economic sanctions on Iran until it provides further guarantees. He is also due to tell Netanyahu that he opposes the further building of Israeli settler homes in the occupied West Bank, Hollande’s aides said.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has condemned the construction of new homes on disputed land that Palestinians want as part of a future state, and pressed Israel and the Palestinian Authority to strike a lasting peace accord.
“It is not the construction of homes that is preventing peace,” Netanyahu told Le Figaro. “It is a problem that must be solved, but it is not the cause of the conflict.”
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
