French FM to visit Israel to mend relations

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy will arrive in Israel Tuesday for a two-day visit aimed at improving often-frosty French-Israeli relations. Douste-Blazy's second trip to Israel as foreign minister will include meetings with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. The meetings are expected to deal with Iran's nuclear threat and the new Hamas-led Palestinian government. The French foreign minister is coming to Israel to partake in the opening of French cultural celebrations in the country. Israel's relations with France over the last several years have been clouded by French President Jacques Chirac's pro-Arab tilt.