An international force should be considered as a way of ending the spiral of violence in the Middle East, France's foreign minister said Sunday. Dominique de Villepin told French radio that the international community should study the option, which was first proposed by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. "We cannot watch the situation in the Middle East degenerate ... without reacting," de Villepin said. The international community "cannot turn its back on those who today believe in peace." "If it appears that all parties want it and that action of an international force would help check terrorist movements ... let's decide to do it," the minister said on Radio-J. De Villepin stressed the importance of implementing the U.S.-backed "road map" for peace, which provides for Palestinian statehood in 2005. He added that France "is ready to do what must be done." Since the peace plan was launched June 4, more than 60 people have been killed. Annan floated the idea of sending peacekeepers to the region in April 2002. The U.N. Security Council discussed the plan but Israeli objections eventually scuttled it. Palestinians long have proposed that an international peacekeeping force wedge itself between both sides, hoping it could reduce tensions and end curfews, roadblocks and travel restrictions that have paralyzed life in the West Bank and Gaza Strip over the last 32 months of violence. Israel has vehemently opposed such a force, saying it will not relinquish control over its security to a third party, particularly one backed by the United Nations or the European Union, which Israel believes have strong anti-Israel biases. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Palestinian President Yasser Arafat (L) walks with French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin after their meeting in the West Bank City of Ramallah May 26, 2003. REUTERS/Osama Silwadi