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Speaking at a Bethlehem press conference Tuesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Jerusalem should be divided, and called on Israel to dismantle the West Bank security fence.

After meeting Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, Sarkozy said that Jerusalem is holy to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. "Can Jerusalem be held by one side alone? I don't think so," he said.

"The separation fence will not bring security to Israelis forever," the French leader added. "The Israelis should secure themselves through a peace agreement with people who believe in peace, like the Palestinian president…there is no doubt that the best road to peace is through a diplomatic agreement."

However, despite Sarkozy's declarations, Palestinian sources told Ynet that neither France nor the European Union are expected to play a special role in the near future in promoting the peace process with Israel.

Still, the French president said Tuesday that France will make great efforts in order to remove the obstacles to peace between the sides. However, he noted that neither France nor the EU can make peace on behalf of Israel and the Palestinians.

A senior Palestinian source told Ynet later, "As Sarkozy said, the French and the Europeans are here to help with everything they can, particularly in diplomatic terms and in building Palestinian Authority institutions, yet not when it comes to involvement in controversial matters."