HIGHLIGHTS: De Villepin: 'The Plan Narrows the Scope of Diplomatic & Political Efforts in the Region'||Peres: 'Plan Does Not Offer Mechanism to End Violence'||Immad Shueibi: ' The Worst Speech in History of U.S.-Arab Relations'|| STORY: French foreign minister, Dominique de Villepin has President Bush's Middle east statement saying that it narrows the scope of diplomatic and political efforts to find a viable solution to the conflict in the Middle East. .

De Villepin was speaking in Israel after a meeting with Labour Party leader, Abraham Bourg. He was in Israel on the second leg of a Mideast tour.

The French official added that it would not be possible for the United States to play an effective role in Middle East on its own. EU countries, he added, should have a fair share in that respect.

Also in Israel, foreign minister Shimon Peres Tuesday said that Bush's speech which he described as simply a vision and does not offer a mechanism for preventing future Palestinian attacks and Israeli military retaliations from derailing diplomatic efforts, as they've done to date.

In the Arab world, academics and analysts soundly condemned Bush's speech, with Syrian political analyst Imad Shueibi calling it "the worst speech in the history of U.S.-Arab relations."

Mohammed el-Sayed Said, Washington bureau chief for the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram, said "the Arab world will not sleep tonight.

"He practically demanded the removal of Arafat, the symbol of Palestinian unity," Said added. "The Palestinians have elected Arafat and they will elect him again. If the Palestinians re-elect Arafat, are they going to be punished?"

PALESTINIANS REJECT BUSH'S CALL FOR A NEW LEADERSHIP

Palestinian officials rejected Bush's call for a new Palestinian leadership "not compromised by terror" - a reference to the scores of Resistance bombings and shootings that Israel has blamed at least indirectly on Arafat, and which the United States has said Arafat should have done more to prevent.

DE VILLEPIN IN CAIRO

De Villepin arrived in Israel where he also met Prime Minister Ariel Sharon from Cairo where he earlier conferred with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Speaking to reporters in the Egyptian capital after the meeting De Villepin said Israel's expanding invasion of Palestinian areas makes peace efforts like his own all the more crucial.

De Villepin, also said Arafat should be "free to move."

He said he discussed with Mubarak "the tragic and dangerous situation" in the Middle East. De Villepin will also visit the Palestinian territories and Jordan.

"The tragic situation is creating a lot of worries and concern in France, Europe and the international community," de Villepin said.

De Villepin's Mideast trip is his first since replacing Hubert Vedrine, a Socialist, as foreign minister following recent
legislative elections that gave France a center-right government.

PHOTO CAPTION

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, left, shakes hands with French Foreign Minister Dominique De Villepin, right, at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem Monday June 24, 2002. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Dalziel