PARIS - France's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it was worried by Israel's decision to appropriate large tracts of land in the West Bank, calling it a violation of international law and contradicting a two-state solution. 'France is extremely concerned by the decision of Israeli authorities to appropriate for Israeli settlements ... territory in the West Bank,' Foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said in a daily briefing. 'Settlements constitute a violation of international law and contradict commitments made by Israeli authorities in favor of a two-state solution.' Paris has been lobbying for an international peace conference before May that would outline incentives and give guarantees for Israelis and Palestinians to resume face-to-face talks before August and try to end the decades-long conflict.
