Emmanuel Macron will travel to Israel on Tuesday to meet Benjamin Netanyahu

2023-10-22 20:18:00

After the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, Emmanuel Macron will travel to Israel on Tuesday, the Elysée announced this Sunday. He will notably meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The visit of the French head of state comes more than two weeks after the deadly attacks by Palestinian Hamas on Israeli territory, which left more than 1,400 dead, including 30 French nationals. In addition, seven French people are still missing: a young woman has hostage status, and “ for the other six there is a presumption of hostage taking but without certainty », indicated the head of state.

Since the attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, Emmanuel Macron has expressed unfailing support for the Israelis, their “ right to defend oneself “, before gradually adjusting his remarks by calling on the Israeli response to ” save » civilians in Gaza and talking about the search for a peaceful solution.

« Obtain useful items »

American President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have already visited Israel, as has Italian head of government Giorgia Meloni on Saturday. Emmanuel Macron, for his part, repeated on Friday that he would go to the Middle East if he managed to “ get useful items » for the region thanks to this trip.

He then cited, among these elements, the “ security of Israel “, the ” fight against terrorist groups “, the non-escalation of the conflict and the resumption of a “ political process » towards a two-state solution, Israeli and Palestinian. The French president expressed unwavering support for the Israelis, their “ right to defend oneself “, but also called for a “targeted” Israeli response against Hamas in Gaza in order to “save » Palestinian civilians. Joe Biden discussed the war between Hamas and Israel on the phone on Sunday with Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Justin Trudeau, Olaf Scholz, Giorgia Meloni and Rishi Sunak.

Israel-Palestine, the Turkish path

Jean-Luc Mélenchon attacks Yaël Braun-Pivet

This announcement comes as the trip by Yaël Braun-Pivet in the company of the boss of the LR party Eric Ciotti, the deputy for French people abroad Meyer Habib (related to LR), and Mathieu Lefèvre (Renaissance), president of the group of France-Israel friendship, was strongly castigated on the left. At the forefront of this protest, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who accused Yaël Braun-Piet of “ camp in Tel Aviv to encourage the massacre” in Gaza. “Not in the name of the French people!” », protested the leader of La France Insoumise on the social network X, posting a video of the Parisian demonstration. Scathing terms which in turn immediately caused controversy, with ministers Marc Fesneau and Oliver Dussopt evoking in unison “ a tweet of shame ».

“Here is the subliminal message from Jean-Luc Mélenchon: to designate the Jews as the party of foreigners and of war,” said Crif president Yonathan Arfi, denouncing “anti-Semitic rhetoric,” when Licra singled out “electoral anti-Semitism”.

Unease has also spread to socialist ranks, with MP Valérie Rabault targeting “ (…) despicable accusations ». « Collaboration, 80 years later », For his part, wrote on X the president (LR) of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region Laurent Wauquiez.

Yaël Braun-Pivet’s trip had previously been criticized in more chosen terms by the coordinator of the movement Manuel Bompard, speaking of a “major political error”. LFI hears “ demand accountability on this subject » Monday in the National Assembly, during the debate on the situation in the Middle East between the government and political groups. The leader of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure also criticized Yaël Braun-Pivet for having “ spoke of unconditional support for Israell” and highlighted the presence of Eric Ciotti and Meyer Habib, of “ hawks, on a line without nuance “, according to him.