French President Emmanuel Macron has criticised Israel for conducting “indiscriminate” air strikes in Lebanon and Gaza, according to a statement from the Elysee Palace summarising his tense phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Macron also “expressed his outrage” over the wounding of several UN peacekeepers by Israeli forces in Naqoura. He urged Israel to stop what he called “unjustifiable targeting.”
His remarks came after Israeli forces last week shelled an observation post belonging to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at its headquarters in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, wounding two peacekeepers from the Sri Lankan contingent, reported Lebanon’s state National News Agency.
The French president also urged a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon to facilitate diplomatic efforts, which he described as “the only one likely to meet Israel’s security requirements.” However, Israel’s readout of the call indicated that Netanyahu rejected the ceasefire proposal, stating he would only accept a plan that forces all Hezbollah forces out of a buffer zone along Israel’s border.
While Israel has called for UNIFIL forces to vacate combat areas for their safety, Macron pressed for a ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate the release of hostages and allow humanitarian aid to enter, according to the Elysee Palace.
Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a Hamas-led cross-border incursion on 7 October last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. Nearly 42,400 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 99,000 injured, according to local health authorities. The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza. It denies that it’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide.
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