A member of the French National Assembly representing the La France Insoumise party, Thomas Portes, has urged the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Paris, Alona Fisher-Kamm, and the immediate cessation of diplomatic ties with 'Tel Aviv'.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the leftist political party, took to his account on X, to protest against the statement made by the Israeli embassy in France. The embassy accused the left-wing French newspaper "Liberation" of being "the mouthpiece of an Islamic terrorist movement," specifically referencing the Hamas movement.

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On Thursday, the newspaper featured the headline "Gaza 30,000 dead" on its front page. In response, the Israeli embassy labeled the headline as "anti-Israel propaganda," noting that the cited number is impossible to verify.

In response to the press statement issued by the Israeli diplomatic mission, the French MP declared, "The Israeli embassy's attack on freedom of the press is an attempt to conceal the genocide orchestrated by the Israeli army."

Portes emphasized, "France cannot tolerate this," underscoring the need to "immediately sever diplomatic relations and expel the Israeli ambassador from our territory without delay."

Ce matin l’ambassade d’Israël s’en prend à la liberté de la presse pour étouffer le génocide organisée par l’armée israélienne.
La France ne peut tolérer cela.
Il faut rompre immédiatement les relations diplomatiques et expulser l’ambassadeur israélien de notre sol sans délais. https://t.co/AHOMJQSCD7

— Thomas Portes (@Portes_Thomas) February 29, 2024

In a related context, French President Emmanuel Macron strongly criticized the Israeli military on Friday for opening fire on hundreds of Palestinians waiting for food aid, as the besieged enclave faces a deliberate and unprecedented famine.

"Deep indignation at the images coming from Gaza where civilians have been targeted by Israeli soldiers. I express my strongest condemnation of these shootings and call for truth, justice, and respect for international law," Macron said in a post on X.

Deep indignation at the images coming from Gaza where civilians have been targeted by Israeli soldiers.

I express my strongest condemnation of these shootings and call for truth, justice, and respect for international law.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 1, 2024

The French leader labeled the situation in Gaza as "terrible" and called for the protection of civilians. "A ceasefire must be implemented immediately to allow humanitarian aid to be distributed," Macron added.