Israel/Palestinian Territories - Q&A - Excerpts from the daily press briefing (15.05.18)
Q – What is your comment on the White House statement that Hamas is responsible for the deaths of dozens of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army yesterday?
A – France deplores the large number of Palestinian civilian casualties in the Israeli crackdown on demonstrations going on in Gaza since March 30.
The French authorities’ reactions to yesterday’s events have been absolutely clear:
- President Macron condemned the Israeli army’s violence against demonstrators and called on all those responsible to show restraint and to de-escalate the situation. He also stressed the need for upcoming demonstrations to remain peaceful.
- The minister for Europe and foreign affairs called on all actors to behave responsibly in order to prevent further unrest. He stressed the duty to protect civilians, especially minors, and the Palestinians’ right to demonstrate peacefully. Nothing can justify the systematic use of real bullets against peaceful, unarmed demonstrators.
France will continue to work for a two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in security within internationally recognized borders and Jerusalem as capital of both states.