French President Emmanuel Macron urges halt, to arms sales to Israel
Mr Macron earlier told France Inter radio that the priority was,
Quote
"to get back to a political solution [and] that arms used to fight in Gaza are halted" Macron said "France doesn't ship any"
"Our priority now is to avoid escalation" "The Lebanese people must not in turn be sacrificed, Lebanon cannot become another Gaza"
France is not a major weapons provider for Israel, shipping military equipment worth 30 million euros ($48 million) last year, according to the defence ministry's annual arms exports report
Mr Macron's comments come as his Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is on a four-day trip to the Middle East, wrapping up on Monday in Israel as Paris looks to play a role in reviving diplomatic efforts
Macron reallyfiredNetanyahu up!
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit out at France's President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday for saying shipments of arms to Israel used in the conflict in Gaza should be stopped as part of a broader effort to find a political solution
Mr Netanyahu said of Mr Macron and other Western leaders who have called for what he described as an arms embargo on Israel
Quote
"Shame on them"
"Israel will win with or without their support" Netahyahu said in a pre-recorded video released by Netanyahu's office, adding that calling for an arms embargo was a disgrace
Quote
"As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilised countries should be standing firmly by Israel's side. Yet President Macron and some other western leaders are now calling for an arms embargo against Israel. Shame on them
Netanyahu declared,
Quote
Is Iran imposing an arms embargo on Hezbollah, on the Houthis, on Hamas and on its other proxies? Of course not
The axis of terror stands together but countries that supposedly oppose this terror axis call for an arms embargo on Israel What a disgrace
