Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Paris on Wednesday, where he was expected to receive as chilly a reception as he did earlier in the week from the Obama Administration in Washington.
A day before Netanyahu's arrival, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner declared on French radio that the Israelis had lost their desire for peace.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor responded in a statement to the Associated Press: "If he really thinks that Israelis have given up hope, which is arguable, than he should not evade the question of why - what disappointed them so."
Kouchner's remarks also ignored the fact that Netanyahu has for weeks been saying he is ready to restarted unconditional peace talks with the Palestinians immediately.