French President Emmanuel Macron. Photo: depositphotos.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for an end to the supply of weapons to Israel used in military operations in the Gaza Strip. This statement was made during his interview with France Inter radio, which marked a new wave of international discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This was reported by the Israeli publication Maariv.
France’s political position
In his interview, Macron emphasised the importance of returning to a political solution, which, in his view, should stop the hostilities in Gaza. The French President emphasised: “France does not supply weapons to Israel, and our goal is to stop any supply of weapons used in the fighting in Gaza.”
Israeli officials have already reacted to these words, noting that there is no confirmation of the full content of the interview. At the same time, they noted that France is not a significant supplier of weapons to the Israeli army. Nevertheless, Macron’s statement intensifies international criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Other players in the international arena
This statement joined those made by Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the left-wing French party “France Unbending“, who also sharply criticised Israel’s actions, accusing the Israeli army of destroying schools and hospitals in Gaza. Despite the resonance of these words, Israeli officials, including Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, have not yet commented on such statements.
France on the international stage
The statements by French officials came against the backdrop of a recent UN General Assembly resolution calling for sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel. The Palestinian proposal was supported by 124 countries, including France, demonstrating the growing international pressure on Israel. Although the resolution is not legally binding, it sets a precedent for future international sanctions.
In addition, the UK has announced the suspension of 30 out of 350 licences for arms exports to Israel, including components for fighter jets, helicopters and drones. This decision, according to British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, was made after independent legal advice pointed to the risk that some of the exports could be used to violate international law in Gaza.
Call for a global embargo
Calls for an arms embargo do not end there. Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi recently welcomed the UK’s decision and expressed hope that other countries would impose a full arms embargo on Israel. Al-Safadi stressed that without international pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not stop his aggressive actions in Gaza, Judea and Samaria.
Macron’s statements and those of other European leaders demonstrate the growing international criticism of Israel and its actions in the Gaza Strip. Calls for an arms embargo increase pressure on the Israeli leadership and raise questions about the future of the conflict in the Middle East.
