France says violence against Palestinian civilians ‘unacceptable’

France on Monday condemned an attack by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, saying “violence against Palestinian civilians is unacceptable”.

France “strongly condemns” the attack targeting a town where two Israeli brothers were killed, the foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that there was a risk that the situation in the West Bank could “deteriorate out of control”.

France was calling on all parties “to avoid fuelling the violence, and to contribute to de-escalation”, the statement said.

“As part of its responsibility as an occupying power” the Israeli government needed to “protect Palestinian civilians” and find the perpetrators of the attacks in which cars and homes were set ablaze in the northern town of Huwara, the ministry said.