AA / Tunis / Fatma Ben Amor
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, “reminded”, this Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, that “the forced transfer of populations constitutes a war crime”, reaffirming “his firm opposition” to an Israeli offensive on Rafah, announced the Elysée in a press release.
Macron spoke by telephone this Sunday with Netanyahu, specifies the French presidency.
“The President of the Republic reiterated his call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and expressed his deepest concern about the operations carried out since Monday by the Israeli army in the Al-Shifa hospital complex. He once again marked its firm opposition to an Israeli offensive on Rafah”, indicates the Elysée in its press release consulted by Anadolu.
And to continue: “He (Macron, Editor’s note) recalled that the forced transfer of populations constituted a war crime within the meaning of international law and that the future of Gaza could only be played out within the framework of a future Palestinian state. and under the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority.
The French president also “insisted that Israel open without delay and unconditionally all existing land crossing points towards the Gaza Strip”, “in accordance with the request of the International Court of Justice”.
Macron “strongly condemned recent Israeli announcements regarding colonization, contrary to international law”, recalling that “the first measures had been taken against settlers guilty of violence against Palestinian civilians on a national and European basis, and that France was considering other measures, in consultation with its partners.
He informed Netanyahu “of France’s intention to bring to the United Nations Security Council a draft resolution to call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire and lay the foundations for a lasting political settlement of the conflict”, believing that “the two-state solution remained the only solution capable of meeting the security needs of Israel and the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians”.
Emmanuel Macron, finally, underlined “the need to move towards a diplomatic solution and avoid any escalation between Israel and Lebanon – in particular through the full implementation of Resolution 1701 of the United Nations Security Council”.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has waged a devastating war in the Gaza Strip that has caused tens of thousands of civilian casualties, mostly children and women, in addition to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and destruction. massive infrastructure, which led Tel Aviv to appear before the International Court of Justice for “genocide”.
Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the brink of famine.
The Israeli war has caused the internal displacement of 85% of Gaza’s population, due to severe shortages of food, drinking water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel is accused of genocide before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to end acts of genocide and take steps to ensure humanitarian aid is provided to civilians in Gaza.
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