Direct negotiation between the Palestinian and Israeli parties "does not work," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Friday.

"Currently everything is blocked. We don't want to act in the place of the Israelis and Palestinians but we want to help them," he told France Info radio.

Representatives from more than 20 countries, including Egypt, will take part in a Paris meeting that is aimed at reviving the Middle East peace process.

Attending also will be Arab League Secretary-General Nabil el Araby and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

Earlier, the French presidency said the meeting would help re-set the Palestinian-Israeli issue on the international agenda. It would be an opportunity to participants to reaffirm their commitment to the two-state solution in the Middle East and help resume direct talks between both parties, it added.

Source ; MENA