Israel must stop killing babies and women in Gaza, French President Emmanuel Macron told the BBC in an exclusive interview at the Elysee Palace on Friday, saying there was no justification for the bombing, adding that a ceasefire would benefit Israel.
“Although we recognize Israel’s right to protect itself, we call on them to stop this bombing in Gaza,” Macron said.
But he also stressed that France clearly condemns the terrorist actions of Hamas.
Asked if he wanted other leaders, including the US and Great Britain, to join his calls for a ceasefire, he replied: “I hope so.”
Speaking a day after a humanitarian aid conference in Paris on the war in Gaza, Macron said the clear conclusion of all the governments and agencies present at that summit “is that there is no other solution than first a humanitarian pause, going to a ceasefire, which will allow [us] to protect… all civilians who have nothing to do with terrorists”.
“De facto – today civilians are bombed – de facto. These babies, these ladies, these old people were bombed and killed. Therefore, there is no reason for it or legitimacy. Therefore, we call on Israel to stop,” Macron said.
He said it was not his role to judge whether international law had been violated.
Opening the discussion on Gaza, Macron said France “clearly condemns” the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas that sparked the war. Hamas gunmen killed around 1,200 people and took 240 others hostage in an unprecedented cross-border attack launched that day.
“We share [Israel’s] pain. And we share their willingness to get rid of terrorism. We know what terrorism means in France. But there is no justification for the continuous bombing of civilians in Gaza. It is extremely important for all of us because of our principles, because we are a democracy. It is important for the medium and long term, as well as for the security of Israel itself, to recognize that all lives are important,” Macron said.
When asked, he refused to say that Israel had violated international law in Gaza. “I’m not a judge. I’m a head of state,” he said, adding that it would be wrong to criticize Israel in this way – a “partner and a friend” – just a month after it was attacked.
But Macron said he disagreed that the best way to protect Israel was to bombard Gaza heavily, saying it created resentment and bad feelings in the region that would prolong the conflict.
Ahead of a march against anti-Semitism on Sunday, which will be attended by a large part of the French political class, President Macron has called on all French citizens to unequivocally condemn anti-Semitic acts.
He said that France has probably the largest Muslim community in Europe and a large Jewish community, and since France and the rest of Europe are seeing a huge increase in anti-Semitism, all French citizens must be united against anti-Semitism and must “share the pain or compassion of the Palestinians”.
