AA / Paris / Ümit Dönmez
“France’s unconditional support for Israel allowed the latter to continue a genocide with complete impunity,” declared Olivia Zemor during an exclusive interview with Anadolu this Tuesday, October 15 in Paris. The president of the EuroPalestine association does not mince her words: according to her, French leaders, starting with President Emmanuel Macron, have made themselves “complicit” in the crimes committed against the Palestinians, particularly in Gaza.
– A complaint filed with the International Criminal Court
EuroPalestine has filed an official complaint, or more precisely “a communication” as Olivia Zemor explains, with the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing Emmanuel Macron, as well as his former ministers Gabriel Attal and Stéphane Séjourné, of having ” facilitated the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. According to Zemor, this is not a simple symbolic step: “We accuse President Macron and his ministers of having violated their obligations, while France is a signatory to the Rome Statute,” she asserts.
Questioned by Anadolu during a rally in Paris against Israeli aggression in Gaza and Lebanon, Zemor harshly criticizes France’s role, stressing that French leaders “have turned their backs on their responsibilities”, by supporting Israel not only on on the military level, but also on the diplomatic and economic levels. “Since the start of the massacres, they have provided unwavering support to Israel,” she explains, emphasizing the scale of the problem.
– Unfailing military and economic support
One of the most damning points of the interview concerns France’s military support for Israel. Olivia Zemor says: “Macron continues to send weapons to Israel, and we have learned that the second largest foreign contingent in the Israeli army is French, with 4,185 soldiers.” She specifies that some of them publicly boast of their participation in military operations, particularly on social networks. “There is tangible evidence of the active participation of French people in the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation army,” she continues.
Economic support is also at the center of the accusations. Zemor points to bilateral trade that she says has continued unhindered, despite human rights violations. “France continues to export more than 2 billion euros to Israel, even during the genocide,” she laments. According to her, this commercial relationship even includes products from illegal Israeli colonies, exempt from customs duties in France.
– A 27-page report, the result of multidisciplinary expertise
EuroPalestine is not content with simple public declarations. Zemor highlights a 27-page report, transmitted to the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC. This document, the result of multidisciplinary work carried out by lawyers and experts, compiles the evidence of the crimes committed and the role of France. “This report establishes that French leaders, through their actions and statements, encouraged Israel to continue its crimes against humanity,” she said.
She also mentions that despite the formal condemnations from the Quai d’Orsay or the Élysée, the latter remain “superficial” and have never been followed by concrete sanctions against Israel. “It takes much more than a few sentences to make things happen,” insists Zemor, before adding: “Sanctions are necessary to stop this genocide.”
– The consequences of explicit political support
Zemor also criticizes the way the French government has welcomed certain Israeli leaders, citing the example of President Isaac Herzog, who was received at the Élysée with honors. “Herzog, who incited to kill as many Palestinians as possible, was received on the red carpet by Macron and Hidalgo during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games,” she criticizes.
She goes further by accusing Macron of being aware of the genocidal intentions of Israeli leaders. “As of October 7, 2023, they said they were going to ‘raze Gaza’ and dehumanized Palestinians by calling them animals,” she explains. For Zemor, it is unthinkable that Macron could claim not to have been informed. “He knew, and yet he continued to support these crimes,” she says with obvious seriousness.
– Impunity of Franco-Israeli soldiers and lack of sanctions
One of the central points raised by Olivia Zemor is the impunity enjoyed by Franco-Israeli soldiers involved in war crimes. “The French government did everything to ensure that these soldiers were not worried,” she denounces. She adds that French military actions in cooperation with Israel have never been called into question: “When a lawsuit was brought against these arms deliveries, the government declared that this was a political decision and that no criminal proceedings could be initiated.”
For Zemor, this situation demonstrates active complicity on the part of the French state. “The day the weapons stop, the Israeli leaders will fall. But France, by continuing to provide them with support, is delaying that day,” she concludes.
– Towards an international investigation
The EuroPalestine initiative is ambitious, but Zemor is aware that the procedure will be long. “We know that the International Criminal Court takes time,” she says. However, she recalls that the crimes denounced are imprescriptible and that French leaders will one day be confronted with their responsibilities: “Perhaps Emmanuel Macron will not wear handcuffs tomorrow, but one day, an investigation will be carried out”, assures -she with conviction.
Thus, although the chances of an immediate indictment are slim, Olivia Zemor continues to firmly believe that the efforts of her association will ultimately bear fruit.
– Situation in Gaza and Lebanon
Since a cross-border Hamas attack in October 2023, Israel has continued its aggression on the Gaza Strip, despite a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Since then, more than 42,300 people have been killed, mainly children and women, and more than 99,000 others have been injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Israeli aggression has displaced almost the entire population of the territory under an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, drinking water and medicine.
Israel also faces genocide charges before the International Court of Justice for its actions in the Palestinian enclave.
Since September 23, Israel has also launched massive airstrikes across Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets, killing at least 1,542 people, injuring more than 4,555 others, with more than 1.34 million displaced people. Israel also launched a ground operation in Lebanon earlier this month.
Only part of the dispatches, which the Anadolu Agency broadcasts to its subscribers via the Internal Broadcasting System (HAS), is broadcast on the AA website, in summary form. Please contact us to subscribe.
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