Israeli officials reject Gallant’s criticism of Paris over Lebanon initiative

Senior Israeli officials have clarified that recent comments by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, which criticized a French initiative to ease tensions on the Lebanese border, do not represent the Israeli government’s official stance.

At the G7 summit in Italy, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France, the United States, and Israel would collaborate to reduce escalating violence between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. However, Gallant stated on social media platform X that “Israel will not be a party to the trilateral framework proposed by France,” accusing France of adopting hostile policies against Israel and ignoring Hamas attacks.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and senior foreign ministry officials distanced themselves from Gallant’s comments. A spokesperson for the prime minister clarified that Gallant’s remarks were made in his capacity as defense minister. Foreign ministry officials labeled Gallant’s statements as “attacks on France,” calling them “incorrect and inappropriate.” They emphasized France’s active role in defending Israel and condemning Hamas, highlighting France’s participation in thwarting an Iranian missile attack in April and its clear stance against anti-Semitism.

Macron’s proposal aims to mitigate frequent clashes between Israel and Hezbollah that have intensified since Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel, which led to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In May, French authorities banned Israeli defense firms from a trade show near Paris, amid global criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The Israeli offensive has resulted in the deaths of at least 37,266 people in Gaza, mostly civilians.