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21:34 GMT
PARIS, May 14 (KUNA) -- French President Emmanuel Macron has made a strong statement regarding the latest round of violence Monday in Gaza where at least 52 Palestinian protesters were shot dead by Israeli snipers, while 1,200 others were wounded by Israeli gunfire on Monday, Macron's office said.
The President "condemns the violence by Israeli armed forces against demonstrators" on the Gaza-Israel border, the Elysee Palace indicated.
The French President called for a de-escalation of the tensions and for future protests to be peacefully allowed to go ahead.
Macron also spoke out against the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem earlier in the day, a move considered as provocative and a major obstacle to a two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The French leader repeated his country's opposition to moving the French embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, where France already has a consulate.
Macron is undertaking a series of telephone conversations with leaders in the region and has already spoken late Monday to King Abdallah II of Jordan and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, and he is planning to talk to other regional leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, on Tuesday. (pick up previous)
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