“Measures will be put in place.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received Joshua Zarka, Israeli ambassador to France, this Tuesday morning at the Quai d’Orsay. The latter was summoned in connection with the diplomatic incident that occurred at the Eléona in Jerusalem last Thursday. Israeli police had entered this area managed by Paris in Jerusalem since the 19th century and two French gendarmes were arrested, all while Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was in Israel.
During this summons, Joshua Zarka was informed “that the presence of armed Israeli security at the Eléona estate, as well as the arrest of two gendarmes from the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem, with diplomatic status , are unacceptable,” indicates the Quai d’Orsay in a press release sent to the press on Tuesday afternoon.
These facts are all the more reprehensible since they involve “two countries which maintain a strong bilateral relationship, and as part of a visit aimed at de-escalating tensions”, adds the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Measures will be put in place to ensure that such acts do not recur,” the statement concluded.
Last Thursday, Israeli police entered “armed” and “without authorization”, according to Jean-Noël Barrot, into the grounds of the Eléona national domain, owned by France since the 19th century located on the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem. After the minister’s departure, two gendarmes were arrested and detained by the Israeli authorities before being released.
Israeli diplomacy, for its part, assured that security issues had been “clarified” in advance with the French embassy in Tel Aviv. The presence of Israeli security personnel was “aimed at guaranteeing (the) security” of Jean-Noël Barrot, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
