political reactions to Emmanuel Macron’s televised speech

In a televised speech lasting around ten minutes, the President of the Republic condemned, Thursday October 12, “the most tragic terrorist attack in Israeli history” and called on the French to remain united in order to “bring a message of peace and security to the Middle East”.

>> Hamas attack on Israel: what to remember from Emmanuel Macron’s televised speech

Among the political reactions to this message from the head of state, the secretary general of the Republicans Geoffroy Didier welcomed, on franceinfo, “strong words” but wait “equally strong acts”. While the deputy La France insoumise Alexis Corbière recognizes that the words of the president “were up to what needed to be said” but wants the Elysée to go further by calling for a ceasefire.

“The words were strong”, greets LR Geoffroy Didier

“The words were clear, the words were strong, they were necessary in view of the horror that befell the people of Israel”, greeted MEP LR Geoffroy Didier, secretary general of the Republicans, on Thursday on franceinfo. But Geoffroy Didier adds that“to these words must also be added actions. The actions must be just as strong. Because the unity of which the President of the Republic spoke cannot be decreed”. The MEP pleads for “suspend development aid to the Palestinian Authority, as long as we do not have solid guarantees on the use of funds allocated to the Palestinian Authority”. The Republicans also propose “to end financial agreements with countries that support Hamas, such as Iran or Qatar”.

Geoffroy Didier also wants to ban “Islamist organizations which claim to be part of the Muslim Brotherhood, even though we know very well that Hamas has its origins in this association”. He also expects that to be prohibited “demonstrations, like the one that took place de facto at Place de la République” this Thursday evening in Paris where, according to him, “slogans” were launched “like ‘Israel murderer, Zionists, you are all terrorists’. This is not acceptable”. The general secretary of LR does not “not happy with the words which were certainly necessary and strong from the President of the Republic”that he “greet” but wants “acts on French territory”.

“The president wanted to show that France had a form of diplomatic leadership,” said Renaissance MP Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade.

“The president wanted to show that France had a form of diplomatic leadership”explained on franceinfo Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade, Renaissance deputy for French people abroad. “A few days after these tragic terrorist attacks, we have things to say to the world, things to do in the region”estimates the elected representative of the majority. “The President’s meetings with obviously his Israeli counterpart and his Prime Minister, with the Palestinian Authority, the Jordanians, the Egyptians, the Lebanese, the Emiratis and the Qataris demonstrate that Paris is at the initiative”, welcomed Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade. He sees two goals: to provide support “complete” to Israel but also avoid any extension of the conflict.

Regarding Gérald Darmanin’s ban on all pro-Palestinian demonstrations, the elected representative of French people abroad sees it as a wise decision. “The Minister of the Interior is right […] We have seen demonstrations in Berlin, London and various European capitals which, in recent days, have degenerated. We saw calls for the death of Jews, slogans advocating terrorism.”. This afternoon, the prefects received orders to prohibit any gathering of defenders of the Palestinian cause. Although it was not authorized, a demonstration took place in Paris this afternoon at Place de la République.

The president “outlined what was the real risk for France, separatism”, according to RN deputy Laurent Jacobelli

Emmanuel Macron has “outlined, in speaking of unity, what was the real risk for France, that is to say that a separatism, a communitarianism, comes to import what is happening in Israel”reacted Thursday on franceinfo Laurent Jacobelli, spokesperson for the RN. “France has already unfortunately suffered from Islamist terrorismrecalls the deputy for Moselle. It is there, perhaps, that we found him a little light, that is to say that he did not state any measures. That is to say, he did not enunciate any measures.”

The President of the Republic recalled during his intervention that places of worship were under greater surveillance or that security forces were mobilized. But for the RN spokesperson, “it’s almost an admission of failure”. “Being obliged to protect French people who are of Jewish faith is a failure because it means that society is fractured”believes Laurent Jacobelli. “This means that today there are people in France who want to wage jihad and attack French people because they are Jews or Catholics, or simply atheists.” “We need to take other measures”says the MP.

The National Rally was awaiting another speech from the Head of State. “We know that in France, there are Salafist mosquesinsists Laurent Jacobelli. We know that in France, associations sometimes financed by municipalities, regions, departments, harbor Islamist activities.” To avoid “when again, horror falls on our country as it fell on Israel, or as it can fall on any country in Europe, we must take concrete measures”. He advocates the dismissal “foreign S files in their country of origin” or the closure “of mosques obtained by the Muslim Brotherhood”. “Declarations of intent are good. Action is better. We must now act. This is probably what we can blame the President of the Republic for”adds the RN deputy.

“The president was right to be clear about the terrorist nature of Hamas,” according to Socialist MP Boris Vallaud

“The president was right to be clear about the terrorist nature of Hamas, he had the right words. There is no room for other expressions”explained on franceinfo Boris Vallaud, the president of the socialist group in the National Assembly. “He essentially found the words, the emotion. His words were quite balanced”admits the elected official from Landes.

The PS deputy also appreciates the fact that Emmanuel Macron, during his television speech this evening, recalled the two-state solution. Boris Vallaud nevertheless wanted to insist “on the need to find a path which is that of peace”. “We are in fact face to face with those who have historically been the opponents of the Oslo Accords” , recalls the PS parliamentarian. And Boris Vallaud concludes: “This thread will have to be picked up again. It was missing in the positions until then.”
The Oslo Accords were signed in the early 1990s between Israel represented by Yitzhak Rabin and the PLO of Yasser Arafat. Two years later, in 1995, the Israeli prime minister was assassinated by a far-right Jewish activist.

The words “were up to what needed to be said”, according to LFI MP Alexis Corbière

“The President of the Republic sent a message to the entire population who was extremely shocked, horrified, indignant, and this is quite normal”And “he said it with words which, it seems to me, lived up to what needed to be said”reacted Thursday evening, on franceinfo, the LFI deputy Alexis Corbière.

While LFI was at the heart of a controversy after its refusal to qualify Hamas as terrorist, the elected official from Seine-Saint-Denis emphasizes that “the president clearly pointed out that it was necessary to preserve civilian populations, particularly in the military response of the Israeli government”. But Alexis Corbière wants the Elysée to go further by calling for a ceasefire, because the fact that 2.3 million inhabitants are in the Gaza Strip “will not solve anything, it will only add to a spiral of violence”. “This is historically France’s position and we must say it more clearly” insisted the LFI deputy. “Preserving the civilian populations in Gaza as President Macron said must [se traduire par le fait] that France clearly says that any disproportionate response that hits civilians is not tolerable. It must be said forcefully after having reaffirmed a message of friendship with the Israeli people who have been so violently affected.”

Without naming them, unlike his Prime Minister, the Rebels were blamed by the president this Thursday evening during his speech who declared: “Nothing can justify terrorism, there can be no ‘yes, but'”. Response from Alexis Corbière: “I don’t say yes, but. I condemn the assassins. These are terrorist acts. Whether with François Ruffin or with other of my friends, our word is very clear. But it is also – let’s not play with words – in the whole rebellious movement which condemns what took place and which obviously has no sympathy with Hamas and the assassins.”

For his part, the coordinator of La France insoumise, Manuel Bompard, judged “unacceptable” Thursday that President Emmanuel Macron did not condemn “clearly” in his televised address the Israeli military response in Gaza after the Hamas attack. “I find it unacceptable that the President of the Republic did not have a clear condemnation against the ongoing acts by the Israeli army against the Gaza Strip which are contrary to international law”he declared to the National Assembly at the microphone of LCI.

“When we are committed to respecting international law we do not accept or give a country the right to kill”added the Insoumis manager, referring to the “total seat” of a “territory of 360 km2” in which “2.3 million people are locked up and subjected to bombings every 30 seconds“.