New French president has first meeting with PA counterpart since taking over for Sarkozy, says, "We must do everything to facilitate the recognition of a Palestinian state via a negotiated process."Palestinians to pursue observer state status at UN, diplomats sayMaen Areikat, the chief Palestinian representative in Washington, said in an opinion piece that was published by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that the time is ripe for the Palestinians to take control of their borders and establish a state.He asserted that it is within Israel's "vital interest" to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians."Yes, 45 years later, Israel may have proven that it is the strongest army in the region, but is it safer? Are its prospects for the future more promising? It does not seem so," he wrote, referring to the period that has passed since the Six Day War."Israel should see that its prosperity and its security lay not in more defense spending, more wars, more walls or more settlements. Instead it lays in a strong, sovereign and vibrant Palestine living next to it."