Macron asks to stop sending weapons to Israel for war in Gaza

Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron asked this Saturday to stop sending weapons to Israel for the war in Gaza.

“I think the priority today is that we return to a political solution, that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza,” he said on France Inter radio.

“France does not send,” he added in the interview recorded on October 1.

US President Joe Biden has so far refused to change his policy of support for Israel, beyond the suspension he made in May of a delivery of heavy bombs. The United States sends weapons worth $3 billion to Israel every year.

The United Kingdom announced in September the suspension of around thirty arms export licenses to Israel out of a total of 350, alleging a “risk” that they will be used in actions that violate international law in the conflict in Gaza, which broke out after the attack by the Islamist movement Hamas on Israeli territory on October 7.

The French president deplored that the situation is not changing in Gaza, despite the diplomatic efforts undertaken to obtain a ceasefire, in particular with Israel.

“I think we are not being heard. I have said it again to Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu and I think it is a mistake, also for the security of Israel tomorrow,” Macron stressed.

“We see it clearly in our public opinion, and we see it even more clearly in the public opinion of the region, deep down resentment is being born and hatred feeds on it,” he added.

Following the launch of the Israeli operation against the pro-Iranian Islamist movement Hezbollah in Lebanon, Macron also reiterated that the “priority is to avoid escalation.”

“Lebanon cannot become a new Gaza,” he insisted.

Netanyahu attacks Macron for stopping weapons

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, attacked this Saturday against the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the leaders of the countries that asked to stop the shipment of weapons to Israel in the framework of the war against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilized countries should firmly support Israel. However, President Macron and other Western leaders are now calling for arms embargoes against Israel. They should be ashamed,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

“Is Iran imposing an arms embargo on Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas and their other proxies? Of course not,” Netanyahu said, adding that the three groups are backed by Tehran and are part of the so-called ” axis of resistance” against Israel.

“This axis of terror remains united. But the countries that supposedly oppose this axis of terror are asking for an arms embargo on Israel. What a shame!” insisted the prime minister, who also affirmed that Israel will win even without their support .

This Saturday, Macron said on France Inter radio that the “priority” is to return to a “political solution” and asked that countries stop “delivering weapons to fight in Gaza.”

“France does not send,” he added in the interview, recorded on October 1.

US President Joe Biden has so far refused to change his policy of support for Israel, beyond the suspension he made in May of a delivery of heavy bombs.

The United Kingdom announced in September the suspension of around thirty arms export licenses to Israel out of a total of 350, alleging a “risk” that they will be used in actions that violate international law in the conflict in Gaza, which broke out after the attack by the Islamist movement Hamas on Israeli territory on October 7.

The French president deplored that the situation is not changing in Gaza, despite the diplomatic efforts undertaken to obtain a ceasefire, in particular with Israel.

“I think we are not being heard. I have said it again to Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu and I think it is a mistake, also for the security of Israel tomorrow,” Macron stressed.

“We see it clearly in our public opinion, and we see it even more clearly in the public opinion of the region, deep down a resentment is being born and hatred is fed by it,” he added.