France could harden its position on Israel if it continues to block humanitarian aid to Gaza, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday, leading Jerusalem to accuse him of launching a “crusade against the Jewish state.”
“The humanitarian blockade is creating a situation that is untenable on the ground,” Macron said at a joint press conference in Singapore with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
“And so, if there is no response that meets the humanitarian situation in the coming hours and days, obviously, we will have to toughen our collective position,” Macron said, adding that France may consider applying sanctions against Israeli settlers.
“But I still hope that the government of Israel will change its stance and that we will finally have a humanitarian response.”
Hitting back at Macron, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “President Macron’s crusade against the Jewish State continues.”
“There is no humanitarian blockade. That is a blatant lie,” the Foreign Ministry said, pointing to the roughly 900 trucks that have entered Gaza since Israel lifted its aid blockade last week after 78 days. The Israeli statement also highlighted this week’s launch of operations by the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which aims to distribute aid to Gazans while preventing its diversion by Hamas.
But while GHF said Friday that it has distributed over 2 million meals, its figure is based off of boxes of dry food distributed to families that still require cooking equipment or community kitchens, which are increasingly scarce in the war-torn enclave.
The GHF aid only makes up roughly 40 trucks worth of aid, while the remainder is supposed to be distributed by existing UN mechanisms. But the UN has claimed Israel hasn’t provided safe routes for its staff to pick up that aid from the Gazan side of the border, so most of it hasn’t been distributed yet.
The Israeli reference to a crusade is a loaded charge. French knights and religious leaders played a leading role in the medieval religious wars launched by European Christians – widely referred to as the Franks – primarily to free the Holy Land from Muslim rule. Jews in France, German-speaking territories and the Land of Israel were targeted by Crusaders in bouts of extreme violence.
Jews still read agonizing poems from the period on Tisha B’Av, their national day of mourning.
“The facts do not interest Macron,� said the Foreign Ministry.
“Instead of applying pressure on the jihadist terrorists, Macron wants to reward them with a Palestinian state,� says the Foreign Ministry. “No doubt its national day will be October 7.�
Macron said earlier today that recognition of a Palestinian state, with conditions, is “not only a moral duty, but a political necessity.�
France is considering recognizing a Palestinian state ahead of a United Nations conference, which France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting between June 17-20, to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel’s security.
“It is against Israel – under attack on multiple fronts in an attempt to destroy it – that Macron seeks to impose sanctions,� continued the Foreign Ministry. “Hamas, for its part, has already praised Macron’s statements. Hamas knows why.�
Macron, meanwhile, has stepped up his statements of support for the Palestinians of late.
On Friday he said European countries should “harden the collective position” against Israel if it did not respond appropriately to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including keeping open the possibility of sanctions.
“If we abandon Gaza, if we consider there is a free pass for Israel, even if we do condemn the terrorist attacks, we will kill our credibility,” Macron told a top defense forum in Singapore.
Also on Friday, Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin will decide whether or not to approve new weapons shipments to Israel based on an assessment of the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Wadephul questioned whether Israel’s actions in its war with Hamas were in line with international law.
“We are examining this and, if necessary, we will authorize further arms deliveries based on this examination,” he said in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
The comments build on a shifting tone from Berlin and mounting international criticism of Israel in recent days as the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza after an Israeli aid blockade and mounting civilian deaths test German support.
Wadephul said it was important that Israel can defend itself given the threats it faces, including from Houthi militants, Hezbollah and Iran.
“For me, there is no question that we have a special responsibility to stand by Israel’s side,” he said, reiterating the principle of “Staatsraeson” which underpins German support for Israel in atonement for the Holocaust of World War Two.
“On the other hand, of course, this does not mean that a government can do whatever it wants,” he said.