The Élysée Palace described, late Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reaction to the French arms embargo on Israel as “excessive”, after the Israeli leader himself said that the French approach was a “shame”.
“We must prioritize a political resolution and stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza,” Macron said in an interview with France Inter in the afternoon, triggering Israeli anger.
In a direct message to Macron, Netanyahu responded sharply, saying all civilized nations should stand with Israel in its fight against Iran and its proxies. “Shame on you,” Netanyahu said, adding that “Israel will defeat the terrorists with or without international support.” A French official, defending Macron, stressed that France remains committed to Israel’s security, citing the use of French military assets to counter Iranian attacks on Israel last week and in April. The official noted that Macron had personally warned the Iranian president that France would not tolerate aggression against Israel, reiterating France’s role in preventing Iranian aggression earlier this year.
However, Macron’s comments are seen as largely symbolic. France has not supplied arms to Israel since the start of the conflict, and previous arms sales have been minimal. Over the past decade, French military exports to Israel totaled around 20 million euros, a grain of sand compared to U.S. military aid, which stood at 27 billion euros in 2022. Exports French companies consist mainly of mechanical components for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, according to Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
