The war in Gaza has shown no signs of de-escalation, with Israel pledging to "intensify" the fighting. French President Emmanuel Macron, just before Christmas, returned to the region for a visit to Jordan where, in keeping with tradition, he shared a Christmas meal with French troops deployed abroad. It was Macron's third visit to the Middle East since the outbreak of hostilities, when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.
The French president's previous trips – first to Israel, Egypt and Jordan two weeks after the attacks; then to Dubai for COP28 and Qatar in early December – highlighted how difficult it has been for France to find its stance on the conflict. His visit to the troops taking part in Operation Chammal, which fights against the Islamic State (IS) organization in Syria and Iraq, was also to be understood in this context.
"French officials are still trying to figure out where they stand," said a specialist of the region, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "They've realized that their message isn't getting through because of how inscrutable their positions are considered." An official from the Elysée Palace, who also asked for anonymity, said: "We haven't changed, events have."
Over the past two months, French diplomacy has continually fumbled, alternating between missteps and confused initiatives, as if Paris, long in tune with Middle Eastern realities, had suddenly lost the region's pulse.
It all began on October 12 with Macron's address to the nation on television, with a grave tone. Images of the massacre committed by Hamas were on everyone's mind: rave partygoers hunted down with Kalashnikovs, kibbutzniks murdered house by house, hostages paraded like trophies in the streets of Gaza. The death toll was thought to be 1,400 (it was revised to 1,200 a few weeks later), including several dozen French citizens. "An unleashing of absolute cruelty," said Macron, who went on to express his compassion for the Israelis, his solidarity with the French Jewish community, and his condemnation of terrorism, against which there can "never be a 'yes, but.'"
"Israel has the right to defend itself by eliminating terrorist groups, including Hamas, through targeted action, but must do so while preserving civilian populations, as that is the duty of democracies," he warned, even though 6,000 bombs had already fallen into Gaza, killing over 1,300 people. In his 10-minute speech, the Palestinians were only briefly mentioned once. While both countries mourned their children, the president empathized with only one side. The tone was set.
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