Diplomatic incident in Jerusalem during the visit of Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Foreign Affairs

During his official visit to Jerusalem on November 7, 2024, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was involved in a diplomatic incident with Israeli police. This tension was manifested when French gendarmes, responsible for securing the Eleona area, were briefly detained by the Israeli authorities. This event occurs at a time when relations between Paris and Jerusalem are already marked by tense exchanges.

The facts

According to The WorldJean-Noël Barrot was expected at the Eleona sanctuary, a pilgrimage area under French responsibility located on the Mount of Olives, when the Israeli police intervened in the perimeter. Heavily armed Israeli agents entered the site without prior authorization, attacking two French gendarmes. In reaction, the minister canceled his visit, denouncing this intervention as an attack on French sovereignty over this historic site.

French reaction to this diplomatic incident

Faced with this “unacceptable situation”, Jean-Noël Barrot publicly expressed his dissatisfaction. On social networks, he affirmed that this Israeli intrusion weakened diplomatic efforts for peace. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the imminent summons of the Israeli ambassador to Paris, signaling the seriousness of this incident for Franco-Israeli diplomacy (France Info).

Israeli reaction

In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry denied any intention to provoke an incident, saying that “procedures were clarified in advance” with the French Embassy in Tel Aviv (HuffPost). However, no specific details were provided to explain the police intervention in the Eleona area.

A historical context of tensions

The Eleona is one of four French sites in Jerusalem, considered national domains. This situation is reminiscent of other diplomatic frictions, notably the visit of Jacques Chirac in 1996 and that of Emmanuel Macron in 2020, also marked by clashes with Israeli forces.

Before joining the government, Jean-Noël Barrot was, from 2017 to 2022, deputy for the 2nd constituency of Yvelines in the National Assembly, where he also served as vice-president of the Finance Commission. During the 2024 legislative elections, he was re-elected with 72.69% of the votes, making him the candidate of the former presidential majority best re-elected on the evening of the second round.