The head of state will arrive in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, a little more than two weeks after the Hamas terrorist attacks which bloodied the country.
Emmanuel Macron preferred to take his time, arguing that his trip to Israel had to be “useful”. LThe Elysée finally announced, Sunday October 23, that the Head of State will visit there on Tuesday and Wednesday, qa few days later US President Joe Biden and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The only French political leaders to have gone there so far are Catherine Colonna, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Yaël Braun-Pivet, the President of the National Assembly, accompanied by several deputies. Emmanuel Macron is expected in Tel Aviv, where he will meet the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Here are the main objectives of this trip.
A possible weight for the release of the hostages
Among the seven French people still missing, more than two weeks after the attacks of October 7, only a young woman, Mia Schem, is, in a certain way, retained by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “For the other six, there is a presumption of hostage-taking, but without certainty”, declared Friday Emmanuel Macron. By going to Israel, will he be able to influence the discussions for their release? “On the hostage issue, France can indeed activate its good relations with Qatar, which plays mediator with Hamas and obtained the release of the first two hostages, two Americans,” analyzed journalist Pierre Haski on France Inter on Monday.
“We must have the ability to speak to all stakeholders and there are few Western leaders who have this ability, except Emmanuel Macron,” said Renaissance MP Mathieu Lefèvre on Monday on RTL, also emphasizing the role of Qatar in the release of the two American women by Hamas on Friday. A success came two days later Joe Biden’s visit to Israel, during which he also obtained authorization for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza from Egypt.
The provisional toll shows 30 French nationals killed in the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas on October 7. Emmanuel Macron’s visit should also be an opportunity for him to provide support to the families of the victims. “I hope that the President of the Republic will be able to show his solidarity with French families”declared the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, interviewed Monday on France Inter. “I am sure that the President of the Republic has taken resolute action to obtain the release [des] hostages.”
An expression of support for Israel
In Tel Aviv, Emmanuel Macron is due to meet the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. On France 2, Monday, government spokesperson Olivier Véran expressed France’s support to Israel’s military response to the October 7 attacks, “which is justified, because they have hostages, because they were attacked, because we must put an end to Hamas”.
“The enemy of Israel is the enemy of France”, continued Olivier Véran, drawing a parallel between Hamas and other terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State group or Boko Haram. “This radicalized Islamist enemy, which can strike anywhere in the world, happens to have struck a friendly country, Israel.” The government spokesperson also recalled France’s wish that “Palestinian civilians, who are themselves the victims of Hamas, do not be the victims toowith significant civilian losses”Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Before his trip was confirmed, Emmanuel Macron had announced, on Friday, that a visit should serve to address the “security of Israel” and the “fight against terrorist groups”to avoid an escalation of the conflict and to work for the resumption of a “political process” towards a two-state solution, Israeli and Palestinian.
A diplomatic effort to “avoid escalation”
Will this trip to Israel be an opportunity for tour of the French president to the Middle East, with stopovers in Lebanon or Egypt, historically key interlocutors of Paris in the region? On France 2, Monday, Olivier Véran did not wish to respond to the subject of possible meetings with other heads of state or government. “The President of the Republic is going to Israel after having spoken all weekend, and again this night, with a number of heads of state, Americans, Europeans, in the Middle East and the Middle East. Middle East, to examine the conditions of his arrival and ensure that this trip is useful”, he assured.
“The French diplomatic voice carries in this region, particularly with Lebanon, but also with Egypt, in order to avoid escalation”continued the government spokesperson, before adding that it was up to Emmanuel Macron himself to communicate on possible discussions with his counterparts in the region.
The French diplomatic effort, however, is part of a strategy that goes beyond the role of Paris on the international scene. In a joint statement, Sunday evening, the French, American, British, Canadian, German and Italian leaders promise close diplomatic coordination to “prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East and work towards a political solution and lasting peace.”
A plea for humanitarian aid in Gaza
The coordination of these six Western states also aims to “ensure sustainable and safe access to food, water, medical care and other assistance necessary to meet humanitarian needs” residents of Gaza, according to the press release published Sunday. Olivier Véran specified that the interviews in which Emmanuel Macron will participate in Israel will be “fundamentals (…) also for the Palestinian people, in order to maintain and expand, when necessary, humanitarian corridors to help civilians.
France will send “emergency humanitarian aid” In “as soon as possible”notably “in medicine”, towards Egypt and destined for Gaza, Emmanuel Macron said on Friday. Paris wants “to be able to support the efforts made by Egypt, supported by the United States, thanks to the opening of Rafah”the border post from which Gazans saw the first humanitarian aid convoys enter the territory, Saturday and Sunday. “We have decided to increase by 10 million euros the humanitarian aid we provide to the Palestinians”Emmanuel Macron declared again.