France is calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to allow aid to reach civilians, particularly in Gaza, a move French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has said will lead to a truce ahead of President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Israel on Tuesday.
This was announced during a long and intense parliamentary debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the National Assembly on Monday.
“The opening of the Rafah crossing is still very limited. We are calling for the Rafah gate to be opened to allow new aid crossings”, Borne said about the sole crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, which was opened to allow aid trucks into Gaza for the first time since the conflict erupted in early October.
“The distribution of aid requires a humanitarian truce that could lead to a ceasefire”, said Borne, echoing the position Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna will adopt before the UN Security Council in New York on Tuesday.
Besides the humanitarian emergency, “the most urgent thing is to avoid a regional conflagration, which is possible”, Colonna added before MPs, referring to southern Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.
“No group should feel that it can take advantage of the current situation”, she added.
Speaking of Israel’s retaliation to Hamas’ surprise attacks of 7 October, which she condemned, Borne told MPs that “Israel has the right to security” and “defend itself in accordance with international law”.
Israel should “not fall into the Hamas trap” by giving a “just response”, she added.
“Those who confuse the Palestinians’ right to a State with the justification of terrorism are committing a moral, political and strategic error. They do nothing to help the Palestinian cause”, she added, targeting in particular Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s radical left-wing party La France Insoumise, which has been receiving flak for its ambiguous take on Hamas.
“There will be no lasting peace for Israel and the countries of the region without a political perspective for the Palestinians”, said Borne, reiterating the French position: “Essential guarantees for Israel’s security and a state for the Palestinians”.
This line is likely echoed by Macron, who will visit Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Macron will express France’s “solidarity” with Israel and call for the “resumption of a genuine peace process” that will ultimately lead to the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, the Élysée Palace indicated on Monday.
This implies a “halt to settlement activity” in the West Bank, according to the Élysée, referring to the aims of Macron’s trip.
“The only way to be useful is to show solidarity with Israel, to make very clear commitments against terrorist groups and to reopen a political perspective,” it added.
(Davide Basso | EURACTIV.fr)
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