“it is unimaginable to return to the situation before,” says Daniel Shek, former Israeli ambassador to France

Was Daniel Shek surprised when he heard Emmanuel Macron mention ongoing discussions to negotiate the release of French hostages, currently in Gaza? “I simply don’t know the content of these negotiations, nor does anyone else. The only thing that interests me is that he succeeds. I have no other wish, obviously. And the same wish is also for all the other hostages”declares Daniel Shek, former Israeli ambassador to France, live from Tel Aviv.

Emmanuel Macron spoke of discussions via “intermediate friendly powers”. Who are they ? “I do not know. One can imagine that there are a number of countries which have traditionally supported Hamas and which would be natural targets for such discussions.“, comments Daniel Shek.

“It’s not about revenge”

Benyamin Netanyahu, while receiving Olaf Scholz, said that the attack of October 7 was the worst against the Jews since the Holocaust. Wednesday October 18, Joe Biden will be in Jerusalem. Does diplomacy still have a place, or will the State of Israel want above all to eradicate Hamas and take revenge? “The nature of the facts, the brutality, the cruelty and unimaginable. There is always time for diplomacy, but it is not one or the other. It’s not about revenge. The subject is that unlike previous times, where we exchanged rockets, bombings for a week-15 days, and then there is a ceasefire, we appease Hamas with financial aid etc., here, it is unimaginable to return to the situation before“, assures Daniel Shek.