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Israeli PM vows his future coalition to "strive" for peace with Palestinians

Xinhua, May 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his larger coalition, which he is currently attempting to build with an ultranationalist politician, will "strive" for peace with the Palestinians.

"The wider government will continue to strive for a diplomatic process with the Palestinians," Netanyahu said at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

He added that Israel will push forward with the peace process "by assisting with regional factors," in an apparent reference to Egyptian President Adel-Fattah al-Sissi, who last week promised Israel warmer ties if it agrees to efforts to resume peace talks with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu's right-wing government has been under growing international pressures to renew the negotiations with the Palestinians after the last round of talks reached an impasse in April 2014.

His remarks came as French Prime Minister Manuel Walls arrived in Israel for a three-day visit in Jerusalem and Ramallah, in an effort to push France's bid for an international conference to reignite the peace process.

On Sunday, Walls told the Palestinian newspaper "al-Ayam" that "Israel must stop its settlements policy," referring to the continuous expansion of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. On Monday, Walls is scheduled to meet Netanyahu before traveling to Ramallah to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the afternoon.

Israel's political arena has been in turmoil over the past week over Netanyahu's bid to oust Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon in order to reportedly give his post to ultranationalist lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beytenu ("Israel Our Home") party.

Ya'alon was widely considered as a voice of moderation in Netanyahu's cabinet.

Netanyahu said the move is necessary to enlarge his narrow coalition, which currently includes 61 members in a 120-member parliament, and achieve "stability." Endit