Speaking at IDC, French justice minister says world safety dependent on peace in the Middle East.
By JPOST.COM STAFFDati 224.88(photo credit: AP)
"One does not talk to terrorists, one fights them," French Justice Minister Rachida Dati said Monday.
Speaking at Herzliya's Interdisciplinary Center, Dati stressed that France would never allow negotiations on Israel's security and existence. "When it comes to terrorists' activity that threatens Israel's security, our stand is very clear: Âone does not talk to terrorists and to the ones that call for the destruction of Israel, one fights them," she said.
Dati added that "France supports Israel's security. I also said it to the Palestinians yesterday. The Palestinian people are entitled to have their own country but that goes hand in hand with keeping the security of the state of Israel."
The French justice minister also called for open dialogue and for leaving past disagreements behind, like the French and Germans did after the Second World War. She emphasized that French President Nicolas Sarkozy was personally committed to Middle East peace process, since the safety of citizens around the world was dependent on the peace in the Middle East.
Dati also told the audience about her meeting with Palestinian youth in Ramallah on Sunday. Although citing the frustration and suffering they expressed, she said she stressed to them the need to give up violence.
Answering a question from the audience on the issue of captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, Dati responded by saying that Sarkozy was very much committed to securing his release. "Gilad Schalit is an Israeli, but he is also French. President Sarkozy met with the Schalit family. We are doing whatever we can to release him and we do not forget him," she said.
if(catID != 151){
var cont = `Take Israel home with the new Jerusalem Post Store
