Latest news with #ChristopheLemoine
Saba Yemen
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
France rejects all settlement policies in Palestinian territories
Paris - Saba: Christophe Lemoine, spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated on Wednesday that France "strongly condemns any Israeli attempts to annex the occupied West Bank or Gaza Strip," reaffirming his country's "firm rejection of settlement policies in the Palestinian territories." During a press conference held in Paris, Lemoine responded to statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who threatened to "occupy the West Bank if France recognizes a Palestinian state," saying: "France's position is clear and consistent, whether regarding the West Bank or the Gaza Strip. We reject and condemn all forms of settlement and annexation attempts." Regarding the shocking scenes of Palestinian civilians scrambling for food aid in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Lemoine expressed his country's "grave concern," noting that these images "reflect the depth of the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza" and confirm that "the current aid provided is insufficient to meet the minimum needs." He added that Palestinians in the Strip are "deprived of the most basic necessities of life." Lemoine called for "the urgent need to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza freely and without obstacles, in large quantities, to address the escalating catastrophe caused by the ongoing Israeli siege." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israeli diplomat defends army after soldiers fired warning shots near diplomats visiting Jenin
PARIS (AP) — A senior Israeli diplomat on Thursday defended his country's military after soldiers fired warning shots near a delegation of European diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank, an incident France condemned as 'unacceptable' and prompted it to summon Israel's ambassador. 'There was no actual danger,' Assaf Moran, deputy chief of mission of the Israeli embassy in France, said in an interview with The Associated Press. 'It also was proven by the debriefing that the soldiers only shot a warning in the air in order for the delegation to step away, but there was not actual danger to the diplomats on the ground.' The diplomats, including at least one representative from France, came under fire Wednesday while visiting Jenin, a Palestinian city that has seen repeated Israeli military raids. The Israeli army said the visit had been authorized, but that soldiers opened fire when the delegation reportedly deviated from an agreed-upon route. No injuries were reported. France responded by summoning Israel's ambassador to the Foreign Ministry in Paris. French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said the diplomats 'came under fire' and described the incident as 'unjustifiable and unacceptable.' He added that Israel's ambassador was being summoned 'to explain himself about this extremely serious incident.' The confrontation underscores the growing tensions between Israel and Europe and comes amid rising concern for the safety of diplomats and Jewish communities abroad. On Thursday, the French government issued separate orders to reinforce security around Jewish sites following the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau called for a stepped-up presence of police and military personnel at synagogues, Jewish schools, cultural centers, and businesses across the country. Though French authorities did not link the Jenin incident with the attack in D.C., the timing of both episodes added to diplomatic unease and triggered heightened vigilance across multiple sectors. Jenin, located in the northern West Bank, has been the site of intensified Israeli operations targeting armed Palestinian groups. Israeli forces say these raids aim to dismantle militant infrastructure, but Palestinian officials and human rights groups accuse the army of disproportionate use of force and collective punishment. European diplomats frequently visit volatile areas like Jenin to monitor conditions on the ground, meet with local leaders, and assess humanitarian needs. Wednesday's incident has raised new concerns about the safety of such missions — even when they are coordinated in advance. Israel insists the delegation was not targeted. ___ AP writer John Leicester in Le Pecq, France, contributed.
LeMonde
22-05-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Israeli blames Europe for the murders of Israeli embassy staffers
International tensions over anti-Semitism erupted on Thursday, May 22, after two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead at a Jewish museum in Washington by a gunman who shouted "free Palestine" as he was arrested. Israel's foreign minister Gideon Saar blamed European criticism of his country's stepped-up Gaza offensive, claiming "a direct line connecting anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli incitement to this murder": "This incitement is also done by leaders and officials of many countries and international organizations, especially from Europe." French foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine called the accusation "completely outrageous and completely unjustified." The killings took place just outside the Capital Jewish Museum late Wednesday as the venue, a mile from the White House, hosted a social event for young professionals and diplomatic staff. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited "the terrible price of anti-Semitism" and decried "wild incitement against the State of Israel." Soon after the shooting, President Donald Trump − who spoke with Netanyahu on Thursday − posted on social media that the attack was clearly anti-Semitic and such killings had to stop. Israel identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, a US employee of the embassy, and said they were a couple planning to marry. Police detained the shooter, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, at the scene. 'Free Palestine' Video footage on social media showed a bearded man in a jacket and white shirt shouting "free, free Palestine" as he was led away. The attack came days after the museum was awarded a grant to boost security, as anti-Semitism surges worldwide in the wake of Israel's devastating invasion of Gaza, prompted by the October 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas. Tensions have risen in the United States and many other countries over the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, with pro-Palestinian activists decrying what they say is the intolerable human cost of the military offensive.
Winnipeg Free Press
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Israeli diplomat defends army after soldiers fired warning shots near diplomats visiting Jenin
PARIS (AP) — A senior Israeli diplomat on Thursday defended his country's military after soldiers fired warning shots near a delegation of European diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank, an incident France condemned as 'unacceptable' and prompted it to summon Israel's ambassador. 'There was no actual danger,' Assaf Moran, deputy chief of mission of the Israeli embassy in France, said in an interview with The Associated Press. 'It also was proven by the debriefing that the soldiers only shot a warning in the air in order for the delegation to step away, but there was not actual danger to the diplomats on the ground.' The diplomats, including at least one representative from France, came under fire Wednesday while visiting Jenin, a Palestinian city that has seen repeated Israeli military raids. The Israeli army said the visit had been authorized, but that soldiers opened fire when the delegation reportedly deviated from an agreed-upon route. No injuries were reported. France responded by summoning Israel's ambassador to the Foreign Ministry in Paris. French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said the diplomats 'came under fire' and described the incident as 'unjustifiable and unacceptable.' He added that Israel's ambassador was being summoned 'to explain himself about this extremely serious incident.' The confrontation underscores the growing tensions between Israel and Europe and comes amid rising concern for the safety of diplomats and Jewish communities abroad. On Thursday, the French government issued separate orders to reinforce security around Jewish sites following the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau called for a stepped-up presence of police and military personnel at synagogues, Jewish schools, cultural centers, and businesses across the country. Though French authorities did not link the Jenin incident with the attack in D.C., the timing of both episodes added to diplomatic unease and triggered heightened vigilance across multiple sectors. Jenin, located in the northern West Bank, has been the site of intensified Israeli operations targeting armed Palestinian groups. Israeli forces say these raids aim to dismantle militant infrastructure, but Palestinian officials and human rights groups accuse the army of disproportionate use of force and collective punishment. European diplomats frequently visit volatile areas like Jenin to monitor conditions on the ground, meet with local leaders, and assess humanitarian needs. Wednesday's incident has raised new concerns about the safety of such missions — even when they are coordinated in advance. Israel insists the delegation was not targeted.
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
France rejects Israeli comments accusing European officials of antisemitic incitement
PARIS, May 22 (Reuters) - France rejects Israeli comments accusing some European officials of antisemitic incitement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine told reporters at a weekly news conference, adding these comments were "unjustified and outrageous". "France has condemned, France condemns and France will continue to condemn always and without ambiguity all antisemitic acts," he said. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused unnamed European officials on Thursday of "toxic antisemitic incitement" he blamed for a hostile climate in which the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington took place. Israel has faced a blizzard of criticism from Europe of late as it has intensified its military campaign in Gaza, where humanitarian groups have warned that an 11-week Israeli blockade on aid supplies has left the Palestinian enclave on the brink of famine.
