Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin told France Info yesterday that it is no longer possible to turn a blind eye to the massacres happening in the Middle East, which put the entire region at risk.
His comments come at a time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking “support” from France and Western nations to defeat “Israel’s enemies”.
“In the wake of 7 October, we all acknowledged Israel’s right to ensure its security and defend itself. However, this right is not an unlimited licence to bomb, intervene and disregard the security of neighbouring countries,” de Villepin said.
“Israel is now engaged in an operation that it no longer controls. Today, it is a matter of France’s and the international community’s credibility.”
“We are likely just days away from Israel’s response to Iran, and we can clearly see the potential to ignite the entire region. Yes, Israel’s security must be ensured, of course, but not by supporting Netanyahu’s reckless venture. Our credibility is also at stake because what happens there has consequences for what happens here,” he warned.
De Villepin concluded by saying, “Netanyahu is attempting to present himself as the defender of civilisation against barbarism. We are never solely in the right, nor are we ever right to rely on force alone. Today, Netanyahu is pursuing what the Americans tried to do after 9/11. I find it deeply regrettable that Netanyahu seeks to resolve the region’s situation by force, especially when there are other avenues available.”
READ: French president calls for halt on arms shipments to Israel