French Foreign Minister echoes Macron’s call to restrict weapons for Israel

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot speaks at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, 7 October 2024

Rachel Fink reports in Haaretz on 8 October 2024:

France’s foreign minister bolstered President Emmanuel Macron’s call for a partial arms embargo on Israel on Monday, reiterating his call for a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon.

Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Jean-Noel Barrot said, “Force alone cannot guarantee the security of Israel, your security. Military success cannot be a substitute for a political perspective.”  “To bring the hostages home to their loved ones, to allow the displaced to return home in the north [of Israel], after a year of war, the time for diplomacy has come,” Barrot added.

He reaffirmed France’s staunch support for Israel’s security while stressing the importance of having a frank discussion about the ongoing suffering in Gaza and increasing military operations in Lebanon. “And this is why France, like most countries in the world, is calling – in Gaza as in Lebanon – for a cease-fire,” Barrot continued. “And when we call for a cease-fire, we cannot at the same time provide offensive weapons to the belligerents. It is a question of consistency.”

Barrot’s statements bolstered Macron’s call a few days earlier for a halt to arms deliveries to Israel. “It is a priority to return to a political solution and to stop arms deliveries for the fighting in the Gaza Strip,” Macron said in an interview on the radio station France Inter that aired on Saturday, adding that France would not supply any weapons.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa in Ramallah, Monday.Credit: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP
Macron also expressed regret that the war is continuing despite extensive diplomatic efforts for a cease-fire. His remarks drew sharp criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said, “President Macron and other Western leaders are now calling for arms embargoes against Israel. Shame on them… Countries who supposedly oppose this terror axis call for an arms embargo on Israel. What a disgrace. Israel will win with or without their support.”

Barrot’s held meetings on Monday with his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, according to a statement posted on social media. “France is continuing its efforts for a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon in order to avoid a regional conflict,” Barron said. “Israel’s security requires diplomatic solutions.”

According to a French diplomatic official, the French minister also held meetings with Palestinian Authority leaders in Ramallah, including Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, who pressed for recognizing Palestine as a state. Barrot emphasized his support for the two-state solution to the conflict, and they discussed potential partnerships between the two countries.

After his meetings, Barrot traveled to Israel’s southern border to commemorate the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks. He visited Re’im Forest, site of the Nova Music Festival, where nearly 400 people were killed by Hamas terrorists. Barrot was briefed by an Israeli military spokesperson, who recounted what had taken place on October 7, before meeting with French families whose relatives were killed in the massacre.

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