French Foreign Minister Condemns Israeli Offensive in Gaza
(MENAFN) French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot declared on Tuesday that Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza has no remaining rationale. “I want to say that this new ground offensive is deplorable.
There is no longer any justification for the Israeli army’s military operations in Gaza,” Barrot stated during an interview.
He expressed grave concern over the potential for escalating what he described as an "already catastrophic situation," warning that it could trigger additional forced evacuations. These displacements, he emphasized, are something they “condemn in the strongest possible terms.”
Barrot further highlighted the dire conditions in the region, remarking that “the humanitarian situation in Gaza, as I’ve had the opportunity to say on several occasions, is disgraceful. It is a scandal that must end immediately.”
He reiterated the need for an urgent and comprehensive ceasefire.
Regarding media access, Barrot firmly criticized the restrictions imposed on journalists, labeling the situation as “unacceptable.”
He assured that steps may be taken to support French reporters currently in Gaza who are at risk of extreme deprivation. “I am calling for the free and independent press to be allowed access to Gaza to show what is happening there and to bear witness—particularly concerning French journalists’ collaborators,” he added.
Switching to another global crisis, Barrot revealed that his ministry is preparing a fresh and “even heavier” wave of punitive measures against Russia.
He pointed out that Europe’s economic leverage, being significantly larger than Russia’s, should be used in tandem with the United States to help bring the conflict in Ukraine to a halt.
“It is the size of our market, our economy—ten times that of Russia’s—that must enable us to use our full weight, in coordination with the United States, where a new sanctions package is also being prepared, to bring about an end to hostilities (in Ukraine),” he concluded.
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