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Israel's Foreign Ministry says it has summoned the French ambassador to protest remarks made by the former French envoy to Washington, in which he called Israel an "apartheid state."

Former ambassador Gerard Araud on Tuesday replied to reports that Israel had summoned Ambassador Helene Le Gal.

Araud defended his comments to The Atlantic magazine, saying on Twitter that he "was referring to the West Bank."

Araud said in an interview with The Atlantic earlier this month that Israel was "in fact already" an apartheid state given the status quo for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon responded to Araud on Twitter, saying his remarks were "offensive and uncalled for."

Israel has occupied the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem since 1967 in violation of international law.

More than 400,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements as part of its military occupation of the territory, while a further 200,000 live in settlements in occupied east Jerusalem over which Israel has already implemented full sovereignty.