France clashes with 'Israel' over humanitarian situation in Gaza
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French President Emmanuel Macron warns of a tougher stance against "Israel" over the Gaza humanitarian crisis, as Germany also reviews arms deliveries amid international pressure.
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French President Emmanuel Macron delivers his speech during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Friday, May 30, 2025 (AP)
France might adopt a tougher stance toward "Israel" if it persists in obstructing humanitarian aid to Gaza, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday, a statement that prompted "Israel" to accuse him of waging a "crusade against the Jewish state."
“The humanitarian blockade is creating a situation that is untenable on the ground,” Macron stated at a joint press conference with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
“And so, if there is no response that meets the humanitarian situation in the coming hours and days, obviously, we will have to toughen our collective position,” Macron noted, emphasizing that France might consider imposing sanctions against Israeli settlers.
“But I still hope that the government of Israel will change its stance and that we will finally have a humanitarian response," Macron noted.
Macron said that European nations should “harden the collective position” against "Israel" if it did not properly address the ever-worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, including the possibility of imposing sanctions.
“If we abandon Gaza, if we consider there is a free pass for Israel, even if we do condemn the terrorist attacks, we will kill our credibility,” Macron told the high-level defense forum in Singapore.
Israeli officials retaliate
The Israeli Foreign Ministry denied claims of a humanitarian blockade, calling it a "blatant lie", and claiming that approximately 900 trucks have entered Gaza since "Israel" ended its 78-day aid blockade last week. The Israeli foreign minister also pointed to the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation plan, which failed miserably due to mismanagement and Israeli forces firing towards its distribution center.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) reported distributing over 2 million meals, though this refers to dry food boxes requiring cooking equipment, which is widely unavailable to the population in Gaza.
Additionally, while the GHF aid amounts to roughly 40 trucks worth of supplies, with the remainder intended for distribution through existing UN mechanisms, the UN has stated that "Israel" has not provided safe routes for its staff to collect the aid from the Gazan side of the border, leaving most of it undelivered.
“The facts do not interest Macron,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said, claiming the French president should instead apply pressure on Hamas rather than "rewarding them with a Palestinian state", a goal Macron has been pushing recently.
“It is against Israel, under attack on multiple fronts in an attempt to destroy it, that Macron seeks to impose sanctions,” the Foreign Ministry added, “Hamas, for its part, has already praised Macron’s statements. Hamas knows why.”
Germany joins France
In a similar vein, Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated on Friday that Berlin would assess the humanitarian situation in Gaza before deciding on whether to approve new weapons shipments to "Israel".
The German Foreign Minister raised concerns about whether "Israel’s" military actions in its conflict with Hamas adhered to international law, stating that Berlin was currently reviewing the situation and would decide on approving further arms deliveries based on the findings of that assessment during an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
Wadephul's statements highlight a broader shift in German rhetoric towards "Israel" due to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, however, he also noted that Germany has a special responsibility to stand by "Israel", citing the "Staatrason", a principle that dictates German support for "Israel" as reparations from the holocaust.
