New statements that symbolize the growing tensions between Emmanuel Macron and Benjamin Netanyahu. The French president implicitly criticized the Israeli Prime Minister this Thursday, October 24, during a conference organized in Paris for Lebanon, declaring: “We talk a lot about a war of civilization (…) I am not sure that we are defending a civilization.” sowing barbarism yourself.”
A reference to the words of the Israeli president, who claims to defend Judeo-Christian civilization in the Israeli struggle in Gaza or Lebanon, while Paris insistently calls for a ceasefire and denounces the Israeli attacks, as well as the Israeli shootings judged “deliberately” against the positions of the Blue Helmets of the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL).
“Scandal”
Emmanuel Macron is receiving criticism in France. “Outrage and waste. Never in history has a democracy accused another of ‘sowing barbarism,'” denounced on day 10 the National Council of Jewish Institutions of France (Crif), chaired by Yonathan Arfi.
“The deterioration of the personal relationship between the President of the Republic and the Israeli Prime Minister, which everyone perceives, cannot justify these comments.”
The same tone is from Caroline Yadan, deputy of the presidential party that represents the eighth constituency of French residents abroad, of which Israel is a part. “No, Israel is not sowing ‘barbarism’. Barbarism is what Israelis have suffered since October 7,” he judged that it is not a military response, however brutal and murderous, to these cruel and racist crimes.
Eric Ciotti, a regular supporter of Israel, denounced statements that he says are “disgusting and false.” “Barbarism is Hezbollah and Hamas, not Israeli democracy!” he wrote.
On Thursday, the conference for Lebanon, initiated by Emmanuel Macron, made it possible to raise one billion dollars for the Lebanese, of which 200 million for its army, in the absence of diplomatic progress.
Paralyzed for years by a political and economic crisis, Lebanon is now the scene of a war between Hezbollah, supported by Iran, and Israel. The fighting has displaced more than 800,000 people, according to the UN. In Israel, 60,000 people also had to flee their homes over the past year due to Hezbollah attacks.
Successive steps of weapons
The tone has increased several times between Emmanuel Macron and Benjamin Netanyahu in recent weeks. “Mr Netanyahu must not forget that his country was created by a UN decision,” the head of state declared in the Council of Ministers on October 15, according to comments from participants.
Before denouncing with rare virulence the “lack of professionalism” of ministers and journalists, accusing them of having “distorted” and divulged their statements.
With these statements, Emmanuel Macron was referring to the vote in November 1947 by the United Nations General Assembly on the plan to divide Palestine into a Jewish State and an Arab State.
Benjamin Netanyahu responded firmly in a press release: “A reminder to the President of France: it was not the UN resolution that established the State of Israel, but the victory obtained in the war of independence with the blood of heroic fighters, many of them who were survivors of the Holocaust, especially the Vichy regime in France.”
This lively exchange followed another. On October 5, the French president called to “stop providing weapons to carry out the fighting in Gaza,” in a message directed primarily to the United States.
“France offers nothing,” he stressed. “What a shame!” exclaimed the Israeli prime minister in a video, considering that “all civilized countries must firmly support Israel” as it “fights against the forces of barbarism led by Iran.”
Source: BFM TV
