French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for a halt to Jewish settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, telling Israel's parliament this was key to peace.
'There can be no peace without stopping settlement,' he told members of the Knesset in Jerusalem today.
'There is a proposal backed by many members of your Knesset for the adoption of a law that would encourage settlers to leave the West Bank in exchange for compensation and relocation in Israel,' he said.
Mr Sarkozy is on the first French state visit to the region for 12 years, where he will hold separate talks with Israel and Palestinian leaders.
He plans to travel to the West Bank town of Bethlehem tomorrow for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
