French President Emmanuel Macron urged the Israeli government to comply with UN resolutions. Macron reminded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “his country was founded by a UN resolution.”

According to reports in the French press, Macron called on Israel to comply with UN resolutions during a cabinet meeting. Referring to the decision made by the UN on November 29, 1947, which paved the way for the establishment of Israel on Palestinian territories, Macron used the words, “Mr. Netanyahu must not forget that his country was founded by a UN decision.” Macron stated to the Israeli government, especially in the context of attacks on Lebanon and Gaza, that “it is not the time to ignore UN decisions.”

REACTION FROM NETANYAHU’S OFFICE TO MACRON

A written statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office responded to Macron’s statement. It was claimed in the statement that Israel was not established by a UN decision but by the victory achieved with the blood of hero warriors during the Independence War. Many of these warriors survived the Holocaust, including those who survived the Vichy regime in France. The statement also alleged that the UN had taken “numerous anti-Semitic” decisions, and that these decisions were aimed at “denying Israel’s right to existence and self-defense.” Israel had attacked the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which included French soldiers, condemning Israel for “clearly violating international law” with these attacks. Tensions had also arisen between Macron and Netanyahu regarding the imposition of an arms embargo on Israel. Macron had called for halting the shipment of arms that Israel would use in its attacks on Gaza. Netanyahu, in response to Macron’s statements, had criticized these calls for an arms embargo on Israel by Western leaders as “shameful,” asserting that he was fighting for “civilization,” especially against Iran.