Emmanuel Macron, the French president, is facing criticism from both inside and outside France for saying that shipments of arms used by Israel in Gaza should be stopped.
Over the weekend, the French president's comments were condemned by members of his own party, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who directly addressed them in a video statement that slammed Western leaders calling for an arms embargo.
Macron’s Call and Israel’s Response
The French president’s comments were directed mainly at the US and were part of continuing French efforts to revive its call for a ceasefire in Lebanon.
In an interview recorded on Monday, but broadcast on Saturday, Macron told France Inter radio: “I think that today, the priority is that we return to a political solution, that we stop supplying weapons to lead the fighting in Gaza.”
“France is not supplying them,” he immediately clarified, turning the spotlight on the US, Israel’s main arms supplier. He also warned about “a resentment that is being born, a hatred that is being fuelled by this” . Lebanon could not be turned into another Gaza, he added.
On Sunday, Macron repeated that he favored a halt to arms exports for use in Gaza because a ceasefire is needed to stop the mounting violence and “clear the way to the political solutions needed for the security of Israel and the whole Middle East”.
His comments brought a swift response from Benjamin Netanyahu. “As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilized countries should be standing firmly by Israel’s side,” he said in a statement. “Yet, President Macron and other western leaders are now calling for arms embargoes against Israel. Shame on them."
On Monday, one of France’s closest military allies also rejected Macron's position. Asked whether he agreed with the French head of state's view, United Kingdom Defense Secretary John Healey said, "No, we work a different system.”
London suspended the sale of a raft of arms components being used by Israel in Gaza after concluding there is a real risk weapons could be used in violation of international humanitarian law, but has refused to support a full arms blockade.
Also, the CRIF, a Jewish organization in France, condemned the embargo, arguing that it plays into the hands of terrorist groups rather than supporting peace efforts.
Closing Remarks
Macron’s call for stopping the shipment of arms to Israel has caused a rift with Benjamin Netanyahu and divisions within France itself because while some support the move as part of broader peace efforts, others believe it weakens Israel’s capacity for self-defense.
Furthermore, NGOs and human rights groups have raised concerns about the potential violation of international humanitarian laws through the use of foreign-supplied weapons in Gaza. For instance, in June 2024, United Nations warned that countries and companies sending arms to Israel risk complicity in international crimes, such as war crimes and genocide.