The Israeli presidency announced that French President Emmanuel Macron denied, in a phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, that he had accused Israel of “deliberately harming civilians,” while French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Le Cornu, urged Israel to take measures to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza strip.
A statement issued by the Israeli presidency – yesterday, Sunday – stated that Macron said in a call with his Israeli counterpart that he “did not accuse Israel of intentionally harming civilians” in Gaza, in reference to statements he had made during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Last Friday, it angered the Israeli government.
The Israeli presidency statement indicated that the French President made it clear that his statements to the BBC “relate to the humanitarian situation, which remains an important issue for him and for many countries.”
He also pointed out that Macron affirmed his support for “Israel’s right and duty to defend itself and expressed his support for the war waged by Israel against agitation“.
The statement stated that Herzog welcomed Macron’s clarification of his previous statements, which the Israeli presidency said “caused a lot of pain and discomfort in Israel.”
A call to protect civilians
Macron said during an interview with the BBC last Friday evening that Israel must stop bombing the Gaza Strip and killing civilians.
Macron said that “there is no justification for the Israeli bombing” of Gaza, and that a ceasefire would benefit Israel.
He stressed that his country condemns “the terrorist acts carried out by Hamas,” as he put it, and added, “But despite our recognition of Israel’s right to protect itself, we urge it to stop this bombing” in Gaza.
In the context of the French position on the Israeli aggression against Gaza that has been ongoing for 38 days, which caused the death of more than 11,000 martyrs and 28,000 wounded, French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu yesterday, Sunday, called on Israel to take measures to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza, as he put it.
Locorno said in an interview with LCE News, “Israel is a democratic state and what it does affects us.”
He stressed that the humanitarian issue and the protection of Palestinian civilians in Gaza are “a very essential matter” that requires taking “measures” on the part of Israel.
He also warned that Israel’s actions during the war would have an impact on “the security environment that will prevail in the Middle East during the next 10 or 15 years.”
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