French FM Barrot lashes out at PM Netanyahu, accusing him of slander after Netanyahu claimed France, UK, and Canada were “on the wrong side of history” for urging an end to the Gaza war.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot lashed out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and accused him of slander.
Barrot’s comments, made in a post on social media X, came after Netanyahu claimed that the leaders of France, the UK, and Canada are “on the wrong side of history,” for issuing a joint statement calling on Israel to end its war against Hamas in Gaza or risk sanctions.
“Everyone knows that France is unwaveringly committed to Israel’s security and has already demonstrated this through its actions,” Barrot wrote.
“By mobilizing its military resources when Israel was targeted by Iranian ballistic missile attacks. By firmly opposing Iran’s access to nuclear weapons,” he added.
“France is determined to combat antisemitism wherever it exists. It is determined to ensure that Hamas, a terrorist movement, is disarmed and permanently excluded from the political future in Gaza,” stated the French Foreign Minister.
“Accusing anyone who advocates the two-state solution of encouraging anti-Semitism or Hamas is absurd and slanderous,” he concluded.
Netanyahu had issued a statement responding to the UK, Canada and France’s ultimatum to Israel, in which he said, “By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed and by demanding a Palestinian state, the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities.”
“The war began on October 7 when Palestinian terrorists stormed our borders, murdered 1,200 innocent people and abducted over 250 more innocents to the dungeons of Gaza,” he added.
“Israel accepts President Trump’s vision and urges all European leaders to do the same. The war can end tomorrow if the remaining hostages are released, Hamas lays down its arms, its murderous leaders are exiled and Gaza is demilitarized. No nation can be expected to accept anything less and Israel certainly won’t,” Netanyahu stated.
Even before the joint statement with the UK and Canada, French President Emmanuel Macron had made several controversial statements related to Israel. He twice called for an arms embargo against Israel to stop the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah, saying that “stopping the export of weapons” used by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon was the only way to end fighting there.
Two weeks ago, the French President lashed out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy regarding humanitarian aid to Gaza as shameful, adding that Europeans should consider increasing sanctions.
“What he’s doing is shameful,” the French President charged.
“My job is to do everything I can to make it stop,” he added, saying that the possibility of revisiting the European Union’s cooperation agreements with Israel is on the table.
In response, Netanyahu’s office said, “Macron has once again chosen to stand with a murderous Islamist terrorist organization and echo its despicable propaganda, accusing Israel of blood libels.”French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot lashed out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and accused him of slander.
Barrot’s comments, made in a post on social media X, came after Netanyahu claimed that the leaders of France, the UK, and Canada are “on the wrong side of history,” for issuing a joint statement calling on Israel to end its war against Hamas in Gaza or risk sanctions.
“Everyone knows that France is unwaveringly committed to Israel’s security and has already demonstrated this through its actions,” Barrot wrote.
“By mobilizing its military resources when Israel was targeted by Iranian ballistic missile attacks. By firmly opposing Iran’s access to nuclear weapons,” he added.
“France is determined to combat antisemitism wherever it exists. It is determined to ensure that Hamas, a terrorist movement, is disarmed and permanently excluded from the political future in Gaza,” stated the French Foreign Minister.
“Accusing anyone who advocates the two-state solution of encouraging anti-Semitism or Hamas is absurd and slanderous,” he concluded.
Netanyahu had issued a statement responding to the UK, Canada and France’s ultimatum to Israel, in which he said, “By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed and by demanding a Palestinian state, the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities.”
“The war began on October 7 when Palestinian terrorists stormed our borders, murdered 1,200 innocent people and abducted over 250 more innocents to the dungeons of Gaza,” he added.
“Israel accepts President Trump’s vision and urges all European leaders to do the same. The war can end tomorrow if the remaining hostages are released, Hamas lays down its arms, its murderous leaders are exiled and Gaza is demilitarized. No nation can be expected to accept anything less and Israel certainly won’t,” Netanyahu stated.
Even before the joint statement with the UK and Canada, French President Emmanuel Macron had made several controversial statements related to Israel. He twice called for an arms embargo against Israel to stop the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah, saying that “stopping the export of weapons” used by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon was the only way to end fighting there.
Two weeks ago, the French President lashed out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy regarding humanitarian aid to Gaza as shameful, adding that Europeans should consider increasing sanctions.
“What he’s doing is shameful,” the French President charged.
“My job is to do everything I can to make it stop,” he added, saying that the possibility of revisiting the European Union’s cooperation agreements with Israel is on the table.
In response, Netanyahu’s office said, “Macron has once again chosen to stand with a murderous Islamist terrorist organization and echo its despicable propaganda, accusing Israel of blood libels.”
“Israel is engaged in a multi-front war for its very existence following the horrific massacre committed by Hamas against innocent people on October 7th, including the murder and kidnapping of dozens of French nationals.”
“Instead of supporting the Western democratic camp fighting the Islamist terrorist organizations and calling for the release of the hostages, Macron is once again demanding that Israel surrender and reward terrorism. Israel will not stop and will not surrender,” said Netanyahu’s statement.
