French Envoy Summoned to Israel Foreign Ministry Over Peacekeeping Proposal

The French ambassador to Israel was summoned Monday to the country’s foreign ministry offices after Paris proposed sending peacekeepers to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount after weeks of deadly clashes, France’s foreign affairs spokesman Roman Nadal said.

PARIS (Sputnik) — Earlier, Palestinian authorities called on the UN Security Council to help preserve the status quo at al-Aqsa mosque complex, the third holiest site of Islam, and defend Palestinians against Israeli raids. France backed the plea.

"The French ambassador was welcomed at the Israeli Foreign Ministry this morning. They mentioned initiatives aimed at deescalating tensions and restarting peace talks," Nadal told journalists during a press briefing.

Palestine fears that Israel may try to use tensions around the Temple Mount site, which is also venerated by Jews and Christians, to revise visitation protocols.

Current rules governing the religious shrine prevent non-Muslims from worshiping at the site, but Israeli forces have been conducting regular police raids on the premise of protecting tourists.