The French foreign ministry Friday denied reports that Israeli hard-liner Ariel Sharon, whose right-wing Likud party has been invited to join an emergency government, is to visit France next week.
The Likud party's organization in France had earlier said Sharon was due in Paris Tuesday to address a rally of supporters.
But a ministry spokesman said, "I can tell you that our embassy has made inquiries and Mr. Sharon does not intend to come to Paris."
Sharon's visit to the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem two weeks ago was regarded as a provocation by Palestinians and set off the current spiral of violence.
The representative of the Palestinian Authority in Paris, Leila Shahid, said that if Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak included Sharon in his cabinet, it would be a sign the peace process was over.
"Barak's decision to reward Sharon ... is confirmation of his desire to choose war instead of peace," she said – PARIS (AFP)
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