"Everything that weakens the Palestinian authorities runs counter to the demands that they do all they can to restore security, and makes dialogue more difficult." So said the French foreign ministry spokesman criticising this week's Israeli raid into the Palestinian town of Jenin, where they demolished a police station in protest against suicide bombers from there. Along with the Israeli occupation of Orient House, the Palestinian Authority's headquarters in Jerusalem, this action has provoked substantial - and welcome - international attention to this latest escalation of the conflict.
The United States, the European Union and Russia joined in these criticisms. President Bush"s spokesman described the Israeli actions as provocative, while he himself called for Israeli restraint as well as firm action by Mr Yasser Arafat against the Palestinian bombers.
The EU said the closure of Orient House weakens the Palestinian leadership and does not serve the interests of regional peace. It called for the return of archives seized by the Israeli military. Yesterday, Russia and the US called jointly for a resumption of the peace process, based upon the Mitchell report - the international investigation which recommended a phased return to negotiations.
These statements go to the heart of the latest events. A formula must be found to scale down the conflict if it is not to spiral out of the control of either main party, or of regional and international powers with an interest in stopping it. All concerned still say they believe this must be based on a return to the basic framework of negotiations stalled last year, predicated on a two-state solution to the conflict. Irrespective of pessimism about whether this is possible on the basis of the Oslo peace process, there is also an effective consensus that the Palestinian Authority and its existing leadership should be the main party involved.
In that case, it makes no sense to undermine the authority and its territorial base like this. The symbolic importance of Orient House goes to the heart of Palestinian aspirations for an independent state. A continued Israeli occupation implies it is no longer on the agenda, that the conflict has reached the stage at which Oslo is definitively overturned. This is so despite the grave provocation suicide bombing and the Intifada represent for Israeli public opinion and political leadership.
The best way to bring this dangerous conflict under control is jointly between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships, based on international monitoring and supervision. The United States still has a vital role to play in such an initiative. It is good news that it is ready to co-operate with Russia - and with the EU. Their co-ordination will be very important in the days and weeks to come.