France objects to Israeli handling of diplomat

PARIS (Reuters) - France has complained to Israeli officials after soldiers held a French diplomat at a border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel last week, diplomats said on Wednesday.

Security officers held the Jerusalem deputy consul for 17 hours, searching her car and scanning a diplomatic pouch by X-Ray, a diplomat said in Paris.

"It was a violation of the (diplomatic) convention of Vienna," the diplomat added.

French foreign ministry spokeswoman Pascale Andreani told reporters: "We object to the conditions under which our Jerusalem deputy consul was held."

"We have asked the Israeli authorities to ensure unhindered access through crossing points for diplomatic and consular vehicles," she added.

The incident comes ahead of a visit by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Israel this weekend.

(Reporting by Brian Rohan; editing by Keith Weir)