Communiqué issued by the French Presidency (Elysée Palace, 13 May 2021)

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Concerned by the escalation in violence in the Middle East, President Macron is determined to work with all the parties to end it as quickly as possible. Restoring calm, peace, are our priorities.

In this spirit, President Macron spoke today with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. He offered President Abbas his condolences, on this religious holiday, for the many deaths of Palestinian civilians as a result of military operations and clashes with Israel. He strongly condemned the rocket launches against Israeli territory for which Hamas and other terrorist groups claimed responsibility, seriously endangering the people of Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities and undermining Israel’s security. Finally, he asked him to use all his influence to reestablish calm as quickly as possible.

President Macron will also have a conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister, who is unavailable to speak on the phone today. He will be in touch with France’s main partners in the Middle East, and notably Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose mediation effort he fully supports.

President Macron will emphasize to all the urgent need to restore peace, to revive the crucial negotiations necessary to establishing a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and France’s desire to contribute to that effort with due regard for the legitimate aspirations of all.