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LequteMan
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President François Hollande’s trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories, like all state visits, was planned months ago. But coming days before France and other world powers prepared to resume the nuclear talks with Iran in Geneva, the three-day visit that started on Sunday could not have come at a more opportune time for Israel — or for France, according to some Israeli officials.
The warm greetings exchanged by the French and Israeli leaders gave an international boost to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who has been conducting a campaign against a deal he calls “dangerous” even before the final details have been negotiated.
At the same time, a senior Israeli official said, the country’s praise for Mr. Hollande’s tough stance at the nuclear talks “will provide a boost to France and even more motivation for it to stay the course.”
For years, France has been at the forefront of an effort by Western nations to stop what they say is an Iranian effort to acquire nuclear weapons, despite Iran’s repeated denials. In some respects, the French have been more suspicious of the Iranians than the Americans have been.
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The warm greetings exchanged by the French and Israeli leaders gave an international boost to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who has been conducting a campaign against a deal he calls “dangerous” even before the final details have been negotiated.
At the same time, a senior Israeli official said, the country’s praise for Mr. Hollande’s tough stance at the nuclear talks “will provide a boost to France and even more motivation for it to stay the course.”
For years, France has been at the forefront of an effort by Western nations to stop what they say is an Iranian effort to acquire nuclear weapons, despite Iran’s repeated denials. In some respects, the French have been more suspicious of the Iranians than the Americans have been.
Click here to read full story
