Macron condemns Hamas amid Israeli-Palestinian fighting, urges renewed peace talks

i24NEWS

May 15, 2021, 03:19 AM

 3 min read

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French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that the current outbreak in hostilities between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants has highlighted “the urgency” for Middle East peace talks to resume. 

Speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend, Macron reiterated France’s position that Israel has a “right to defend itself,” while also expressing his concern over the safety of civilian populations in Gaza.

In a separate phone call to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, Macron “strongly condemned the shooting claimed by Hamas and other terrorist groups” which “endanger the people of Tel Aviv” and harm “the security of the State of Israel,” the French presidency said in a statement.

While offering him “his condolences” for the “numerous losses of Palestinian civilians resulting from military operations and ongoing clashes with Israel”, the French president asked Abbas “to use all means of his influence so that calm is restored as quickly as possible.”

“Concerned by the escalation of violence in the Middle East, the President of the Republic is determined to work with all the parties to put an end to it as quickly as possible. The return to calm and peace are our priorities,” the press release added.

More than 2,000 rockets have been fired at the Jewish state since Monday, killing nine people, including a child and a soldier, with more than 560 people injured.

Overall Palestinian fatalities from strikes on Gaza have reached 126 — including 31 children — with 950 injured.

The IDF’s bombardment of Gaza began Monday in response to rocket fire towards Jerusalem from Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in the enclave.

Israel’s response has seen it hit nearly 800 targets, including a massive assault Friday on a Hamas tunnel network dug under civilian areas.

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