Netanyahu to build peace through Palestinian prosperity

Paris: Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a newspaper interview on Friday that the best way to create peace in the Middle East is to encourage "rapid economic development" for Palestinians.

Netanyahu, who is the leader of the hardline Likud party, told the French daily Le Figaro that the group's plan for peace is "to support the emergence of a credible partner and reinforce the moderate Palestinians."

"For that, conditions must be created for rapid economic development," he said, adding that the plan is based on the idea that "economic prosperity leads to a political resolution, and not the reverse."

Netanyahu was in Paris on Thursday for talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.