France Flags Down Abbas On Security Council Replay

PARIS (Reuters) —

France cautioned the Palestinians on Tuesday against escalating a diplomatic battle with Israel after PA President Mahmoud Abbas said he would resubmit to the U.N. Security Council a resolution calling for the creation of a Palestinian state.

Abbas said on Sunday he hoped to resubmit the resolution, which had been narrowly defeated, “perhaps after a week.”

France, one of the Council’s five permanent members, backed the resolution despite some reservations. France’s parliament also backed Palestinian independence in a symbolic vote on Dec. 2.

But Paris signalled concern that Abbas’ diplomatic offensive could harm chances for peace with Israel.

“We are against the logic of letting this spiral [out of control],” Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters.

“While we think the Palestinians have the right to move the status quo, at the same time there has to be an effort to find a consensus solution. Once you set this cycle off, you get results that you don’t want one way or another.”

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