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JERUSALEM, 23 May, Reuters reports – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the leaders of France, Britain and Canada of intending to help the Palestinian group Hamas after they threatened “concrete action” if Israel does not end its latest offensive in the Gaza Strip.
These accusations, which were repeated by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Thursday, are part of the Israeli government’s response to growing international pressure over the war in Gaza.
“You are on the wrong side of humanity and history,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli Prime Minister, who is subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes in Gaza, regularly criticises European countries, as well as international organisations such as the UN and the International Court of Justice, for what he sees as biased attitudes towards Israel.
However, due to the flood of images of destruction and hunger in Gaza, which have sparked protests in many countries around the world, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Israel to change international public opinion, which is increasingly turning against it.
“It’s hard to convince some people, especially members of the far left in the United States and in some European countries, that Israel’s actions are a war of self-defence,” said former Israeli diplomat Yaki Dayan.
“But this is how it is perceived in Israel, and sometimes it seems impossible to bridge this gap,” he added.
Israeli officials are particularly concerned about the growing calls in Europe to follow the example of Spain and Ireland, which have recognised a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution to the conflict.
Netanyahu claims that a Palestinian state poses a threat to Israel, and cites the murder of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington on Tuesday by a man reportedly shouting “Free Palestine” as a clear example of this threat.
He noted that “the same slogans” were heard during the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
“They don’t want a Palestinian state. They want to destroy the Jewish state,” Netanyahu said in a message on the X platform.
“I could never understand how this simple truth eludes the leaders of France, the UK, Canada and others,” he added, stressing that any steps by Western countries to recognise a Palestinian state “reward these murderers with the highest reward”.
According to him, instead of promoting peace, these three leaders “inspire Hamas to continue the struggle forever”.
AID BLOCKADE
Netanyahu, whose government depends on the support of far-right forces, said Hamas, which welcomed the move, thanked French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canada’s Mark Carney for what he called their demand for an immediate end to the war.
In fact, the leaders’ statement on Monday did not call for an immediate end to the war, but only for a halt to Israel’s new military offensive against Gaza and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid. Israel has blocked aid access to Gaza since March, but eased the blockade this week.
“By making their demand – along with threats of sanctions against Israel, not Hamas – these three leaders have effectively said that they want Hamas to remain in power,” Netanyahu said.
“They give them hope for the creation of a second Palestinian state, from which Hamas will again seek to destroy the Jewish state.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that France, which, like the UK and Canada, considers Hamas a terrorist organisation, is “unwaveringly committed to Israel’s security”, but called accusations of anti-Semitism or support for Hamas “absurd and slanderous” in support of a two-state solution.
French government spokeswoman Sophie Prima said that France does not accept Netanyahu’s accusations, adding: “We need to reduce this tension between our two states and work towards a lasting peaceful solution for Israel and Palestine.”
When asked about Netanyahu’s statements, British Defence Secretary Luke Pollard said that London supports Israel’s right to self-defence. “But this self-defence must take place within the framework of international humanitarian law,” he said in an interview with Times Radio.
“At this point, we stand firmly against terrorism, but we also want to make sure that aid gets to Gaza,” Pollard added.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza was launched in response to the 7 October 2023 attack that killed around 1,200 people and led to the taking of 251 hostages in Gaza. This operation resulted in the deaths of more than 53,000 Palestinians and devastated the Strip, where large areas were reduced to rubble.
