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The French leader said countries should stop supplying weapons to Israel, arguing that providing arms while demanding a cease-fire is inconsistent. That drew the Israeli leader’s fury.
Oct. 7, 2024, 4:46 p.m. ET
When President Emmanuel Macron of France said over the weekend that countries should stop supplying Israel with weapons if they want a cease-fire, the reaction from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was swift and scathing.
“As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilized countries should be standing firmly by Israel’s side,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a video statement. “Yet President Macron and some other Western leaders are now calling for an arms embargo against Israel. Shame on them.”
“Let me tell you this,” he added. “Israel will win with our without their support, but their shame will continue long after the war is won.”
It wasn’t the first time Mr. Macron had suggested such a move; he said so last month at the United Nations General Assembly and argues that it is “inconsistent” to push for a cease-fire while supplying weapons. But this time his words seemed to strike a particularly raw nerve for Mr. Netanyahu.
Analysts said they were not surprised by Mr. Macron’s statement. He has tried to strike a delicate balance in his approach to the Middle East conflict, expressing support for Israel’s right to self-defense while also criticizing Israeli military operations and pleading for a cease-fire to stop growing civilian casualties in Gaza and now Lebanon — a former French protectorate.
They also said the statement fits with Mr. Macron’s personal style. He is intent on maintaining France’s traditional aspiration to be an independent international power, and is known for bold and sometimes disruptive foreign policy.
