Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron are at odds over the issue of arms deliveries to Israel for use in Gaza. Macron has called for a halt to these deliveries in order to prioritize a return to a political solution and cease the fighting in Gaza.
At a summit in Paris, Macron reiterated his concerns over the ongoing conflict in Gaza and criticized Israel’s decision to send ground troops into Lebanon. In response, Netanyahu condemned Macron and other Western leaders for calling for an arms embargo on Israel, stating that “Israel will win with or without their support” and calling the embargo a “disgrace.”
Macron, in an interview with a French broadcaster, emphasized that France is not delivering any weapons to Israel and expressed his belief that the conflict is leading to increased hatred. He also stressed the importance of avoiding an escalation in Lebanon, stating that Lebanon cannot become a new Gaza.
Netanyahu’s office fired back, accusing countries that do not stand with Israel of supporting Iran and its allies. Macron’s office defended France’s relationship with Israel, calling Netanyahu’s reaction “excessive and detached from the friendship between France and Israel.”
Despite their differences, Macron reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defense and announced plans to meet with relatives of Franco-Israelis held hostage in Gaza. The ongoing conflict in Gaza, which began with Hamas’s attack on Israel last year, has resulted in thousands of casualties and continues to be a point of contention between the two leaders.
