French President Emmanuel Macron has called for an embargo of Western arms to Israel used in the conflict with Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
Just days before the anniversary of the barbaric killing of over 1,200 people by Islamist Hamas terrorists, who broke into Southern Israel on October 7th last year to carry out a mass terror campaign, President Macron said on Saturday that France has stopped supplying Israel with weapons to use against the terrorists.
The French leader went on to call for a broader embargo on arms deliveries to Israel, saying in comments reported by Le Figaro: “I think that today, the priority is that we return to a political solution, that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza.”
Despite being one of the most hawkish supporters of the war in Ukraine, going so far as to float the idea of sending Western troops into the country as it fends off the Russian invasion, Macron has conversely attempted to play the role of the dove during the Israeli conflict, having called for a “truce” less than a month after the October 7th attacks.
The French president has also recently joined U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders in calling for a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been targeting Hamas terrorists and the leadership of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group.
Macron has previously faced criticism from Jerusalem after he appeared to suggest that Israel was intentionally targeting “babies” and “ladies” in its military operation in Gaza to eliminate Hamas, although he later backtracked the allegations.
The demand from Maccron to stop arming Israel follows a move by the recently-elected left-wing Labour Party government in Britain to suspend dozens of weapons contracts with Israel.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said last month that Britain suspended 30 arms export licences to Israel, which include UK-made components used in fighter jets, helicopters, and military drones used by Israel.
London claimed that the decision was sparked by concerns that British weaponry was being used to violate human rights in Gaza.
Governments in Europe, including in Britain and France, have faced heavy pressure domestically from left-wing and Muslim activists over the conflict in the Middle East, with mass protests breaking out in cities across Europe in the wake of the October 7th attacks.
Protests continued on Saturday, with mass demonstrations being held in London and Paris, as well as in Athens, Brussels, and Rome, calling for an end to the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
The comments from Macron also come as Israel is reportedly planning a retaliatory strike against Iran following the Islamist regime’s attack on the Jewish state earlier this week, firing around 200 missiles at Israel on Tuesday.