Sarkozy Urges Israel to Share Sovereignty Over Jerusalem

The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy told Israel today to share sovereignty over Jerusalem with the Palestinians and to stop building settlements in the occupied territories.

In an address to the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, Sarkozy also promised France's support in helping to halt Iran's nuclear program and he praised Israel's democracy, comments for which he won applause.

However, he also spoke strongly about what he expected of Israel as part of the peace process with the Palestinians. "There cannot be peace without an immediate and complete halt to settlement," he said. "There cannot be peace without recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of two states and the guarantee of free access to the holy places for all religions."

Although his comments do not mark a change in French policy towards the Middle East, they were nonetheless unusually frank for a Knesset address and went a long way further than a similar speech at the Israeli parliament last month by the US president, George Bush.

Although the US road map, which is still the basis of the current peace talks, requires Israel to halt all settlement activity, the government continues to authorize construction in east Jerusalem and West Bank settlements, provoking criticism from the Palestinians.

Sarkozy also called on the Palestinians to do more to tackle militant violence, one of their main road map requirements.

The French leader also promised Israel diplomatic support to counter Iran's nuclear ambitions. "France is determined to pursue, with its partners, a policy of progressively tougher sanctions," he said. "An Iran equipped with nuclear weapons is unacceptable for my country."

During his three-day visit, Sarkozy will hold talks with the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, and with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. Olmert is due at a conference in Paris next month, where Sarkozy hopes he will meet the Syrian president, Bashar Assad.