In France, the political class is raging over the war between Israel and Hamas

2023-10-08 14:49:00

No sacred union in France in the face of the horror of the war in Israel. Since the Islamist military forces of Hamas attacked the Jewish state on Saturday morning, the political class has been unanimous in its condemnation of the ongoing violence, but is divided over the responsibility of both camps.

Thus, the Head of State, Emmanuel Macron, condemned Saturday on X, formerly Twitter, “terrorist attacks hitting Israel”. Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne added that “terrorism in all its forms must be fought and civilians protected”. Among opposition parties, most have expressed support for Israel. The right-wing Les Républicains (LR) party provided support « total » et “unconditional” to the Jewish state facing an attack “filthy”. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN) party, declared herself “more than ever alongside Israeli democracy”.

On the left, same condemnation of the violence for the Socialist Party (PS), the French Communist Party (PCF), Europe-Ecologie-Les-Verts (EELV) and La France Insoumise (LFI). “Total condemnation of the attack launched this morning by Hamas”, declared Olivier Faure, the first secretary, on Saturday. On the PCF side, its leader condemned “ without reservation » the Hamas attack, described as “ unacceptable and unjustifiable “. At EELV, national secretary Marine Tondelier defended “the indisputable right of Israelis to live in security”while warning once morest the violence of the response, calling to avoid “an indiscriminate reaction once morest the civilians of Gaza”. Finally, ithez la France insoumise, the deputy François Ruffin also expressed a “total condemnation” attacks, while worrying that « the answer lies in the hands of the most brutal Israeli government in 30 years ».

War between Israel and Gaza: more than 600 Israeli dead, fighting continues this Sunday

Jean-Luc Mélenchon and LFI accused of putting attacks into perspective

The party leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, explained on Saturday that “ all the violence unleashed once morest Israel and Gaza only proves one thing: violence only produces and reproduces itself ». « Horrified, our thoughts and compassion go out to all the distraught people who are victims of all this. The ceasefire must be imposed », he added on the X platform.

« The armed offensive by Palestinian forces led by Hamas comes in a context of intensification of Israeli occupation policy in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem », Also affirmed in a press release the LFI parliamentary group. LFI deputy Louis Boyard added: “ For too long, France has turned a blind eye to colonization and abuses in Palestine. For too long, France has kept the violence of the Israeli state and that of Palestinian armed groups back to back. ».

These remarks, recalling the escalation of tensions in recent months following the policy of intensifying the colonization of Palestinian territories by the ultra-conservative government of Benyamin Netanyahu, are interpreted by a large part of the political class as an attempt by LFI to find justifications for Hamas’s attack on Israel.

From Bordeaux, where she attended the back-to-school campus of the presidential Renaissance party, the Prime Minister hardly took gloves in denouncing the “ revolting ambiguities » from the party of Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Elisabeth Borne thus estimated that “ anti-Zionism » of LFI is “ sometimes also a way of masking a form of anti-Semitism ».

His words enraged the rebellious leaders. They are ” despicable », replied the LFI coordinator, Manuel Bompard. “ I expressed the constant position of our country since De Gaulle », was indignant Jean-Luc Mélenchon. “ Approval of the ongoing massacre dishonors Ms. Borne. France doesn’t talk like that! “, he added in an apparent reference to Israeli reprisal operations, before accusing the Prime Minister of ” rallying ” has ” a foreign point of view ».

Attack on Israel: Palestine in the hands of Iran

Nupes weakened?

This controversy over the Middle East also opens a new front in the endless crisis that the alliance of left parties, the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), is going through. Divided for the European elections in June 2024, it nevertheless aims to present a common candidate in the presidential election of 2027.

PS deputy Jérôme Guedj estimated on Sunday that the question of remaining in the left-wing Nupes alliance arises, following the declarations of LFI and its leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. However, Jérôme Guedj was until then one of the most fervent defenders of Nupes, born the day following the 2022 presidential election. It disgusts me to see and note that some – the press release from the LFI group, the tweets from (Louis) Boyard, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and perhaps a few others – were immediately in a form of relativism, of back-to-back referral. back, of absence of this minimum of compassion which makes our common humanity », Developed the socialist on the Radio of the Jewish community (RCJ).

The vocabulary used by LFI goes down poorly with its partners. “That some on the left talk regarding Hamas as ‘Palestinian armed forces’ disgusts me. Hamas is a terrorist organization,” socialist MP Valérie Rabault replied on Sunday.

“All these places where Hamas hides (…) we are going to turn them into ruins” (Benjamin Netanyahu)

LR calls for cutting ties with the Palestinian Authority

On the right, the president of the Republicans, Eric Ciotti, asked Sunday in a letter addressed to Emmanuel Macron to “cease all funding” of the Palestinian Authority, “ as long as we do not obtain solid guarantees on the use of international subsidies », the day following the Hamas attack on Israel.

Installed in the West Bank and chaired by Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority has no control over Gaza, where Hamas attacks once morest Israel originated.

« Through its weakness and corruption, the Palestinian Authority bears a heavy responsibility for the current situation », Estimates the deputy for Alpes-Maritimes, who condemns “ with absolute firmness these terrorist activities » and brings “ unconditional support for the State of Israel which has the inalienable right to defend itself once morest the factions who have wanted its destruction for 65 years ».

By calling the head of state “solemnally to act in the name of France », Eric Ciotti considers that “ Europe cannot continue to finance a government structure ” Who ” has no more authority than the name “, according to him ” incapable of playing its role in the face of the terrorist groups which are plaguing the Palestinian territories and which have controlled the Gaza Strip for many years ».

The boss of LR also asks to “ permanently cut off supplies to terrorist organizations like Hamas “, in ” taking all measures at the national level to deprive foreign powers which participate in the financing of terrorists of all the advantages which they may have in France, at the forefront of which is Qatar ».

Qatar is also a close economic ally of France, which supported its candidacy for the Football World Cup in 2022, the country being the main shareholder of the Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) football club.