French President Emmanuel Macron called for an immediate halt to arms shipments to Israel for use in the ongoing Gaza conflict, drawing swift condemnation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In an interview with France Inter radio, Macron said, “the priority is that we return to a political solution, that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza.”
He expressed concern over the continuation of violence in Gaza despite calls for a ceasefire and criticized Israel's deployment of ground troops in Lebanon during a summit in Paris, reports BBC.
Netanyahu responded sharply, declaring that “Israel will win with or without their support,” and labeled the call for an arms embargo as “a disgrace.” He condemned Macron and other Western leaders who support such measures, stating, “Shame on them.”
Macron reiterated in his interview, recorded on Tuesday and aired on Saturday, that France is not supplying weapons to Israel. He warned that the ongoing conflict is inciting “hatred” and stressed that preventing escalation in Lebanon is crucial, stating, “Lebanon cannot become a new Gaza.”
Read: Israel intensifies bombardment of Gaza and southern Lebanon ahead of Oct. 7 anniversary
In response to Netanyahu's office, which claimed that nations failing to support Israel are aiding Iran and its allies, Macron's office reaffirmed France's steadfast friendship with Israel and characterized Netanyahu's reaction as “excessive and detached from the friendship between France and Israel.”
Macron acknowledged both the U.S. and France’s calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon, expressing regret over Netanyahu’s decision for ground operations there. He reaffirmed Israel's right to self-defense and planned to meet with relatives of Franco-Israelis held hostage in Gaza.
During their recent call, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel's fight against Hezbollah would transform the situation in Lebanon and promote stability across the Middle East, stating that Israel's allies should support it without imposing restrictions that would bolster Iran's influence.
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As the first anniversary of Hamas's attack on Israel approaches, which resulted in around 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages, the humanitarian toll in Gaza has reportedly exceeded 41,000 deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.