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13-11-2023
PARIS: Israel must stop killing babies and women in Gaza, French President Emmanuel Macron has told media.
In an exclusive interview at the Elysee Palace, he said there was “no justification” for the bombing, saying a ceasefire would benefit Israel.
While recognizing Israel’s right to protect itself, “we do urge them to stop this bombing” in Gaza, he said but he also stressed that France “clearly condemns” the “terrorist” actions of Hamas.
France like Israel, the US, the UK, and other Western nations – considers Hamas a terrorist organization.
When asked if he wanted other leaders – including in the US and the UK to join his calls for a ceasefire, he replied: “I hope they will.”
After a month of Israeli bombardment and nearly two weeks after Israel launched a major ground offensive into the territory, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said on Friday that 11,078 people had been killed, while 1.5 million had fled their homes.
Israel says it attacks military targets in line with international law and takes steps to reduce civilian casualties, like issuing warnings ahead of strikes and calling on people to evacuate.
Speaking the day after a humanitarian aid conference in Paris about the war in Gaza, Macron said the “clear conclusion” of all governments and agencies present at that summit was “that there is no other solution than first a humanitarian pause, going to a ceasefire, which will allow (us) to protect… all civilians having nothing to do with terrorists”.
“De facto today, civilians are bombed – de facto. These babies, these ladies, these old people are bombed and killed. So there is no reason for that and no legitimacy. So we do urge Israel to stop.”
He said it was not his role to judge whether international law had been broken.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded quickly to Macron’s comments, saying nations should condemn Hamas, not Israel.
“The crimes that Hamas (is) committing today in Gaza will be committed tomorrow in Paris, New York and anywhere in the world,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office read.
In a wide-ranging interview at the end of the first day of an annual Paris Peace Forum, President Macron also discussed:
Fears of violence spilling over from the Middle East into France, urging citizens of all faiths to be “united against antisemitism”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying it was France’s “duty” to help Ukraine but suggesting there may come a time for “fair and good negotiations” with Moscow
Extremism online, saying Facebook’s parent company Meta and Google “just don’t deliver” on moderation and the dangers of climate change, saying it was pushing people around the world toward “terrorism”. (Int’l News Desk)
