PARIS-MOSCOW (AFP)---France and Russia urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders not to allow provocation by violent extremists to derail Wednesday's attempt to get Middle East peace talks back on track.
   

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was speaking a day after a Palestinian gunman killed four Israeli civilians in the West Bank town of Hebron, and just hours ahead of the start of direct negotiations.   

"It's time for responsibility, courage and action for peace. France will do whatever it can to support Israelis and Palestinians down this road," Kouchner said, in a statement released by his office.

"It is vital that all sides now show restraint," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
   

It condemned the attack tas a "terrorist" ploy to derail efforts to relaunch the Middle East peace process.   

"Moscow categorically condemns this terrorist attack... It was clearly a provocation, carried out immediately ahead of the planned renewal of Palestinian-Israeli talks in Washington on September 2," it said.   

"It is necessary to work together to rebuff extremists, who are not interested in a renewal of the Middle East peace process."
   

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas were to meet each other and US President Barack Obama later Wednesday to restart peace talks after a 20-month delay. 

The attack that killed four Israelis was claimed by the Islamist Hamas group.