2023-10-12 21:31:02
It’s time for gravity. After the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas this Saturday, President Emmanuel Macron spoke in a televised address this Thursday evening, at 8 p.m., following “an update on the situation” in the company of party leaders during the day. His goal ? Promote “the unity of the Nation”, at a time when the executive takes seriously the risk of tensions in France, the Élysée assured. Condemnation of Hamas, French hostages, call to preserve civilians in Gaza, anti-Semitism in France… Here is a summary of the Head of State’s declarations.
Macron strongly condemns Hamas “terrorism”
Deploring “the most tragic terrorist attack” in the history of Israel, Emmanuel Macron strongly condemned, from the start of his speech, the actions of Hamas. “Nothing can justify terrorism, there can never be a yes but,” thundered the president, seeming to allude to the controversies surrounding certain political figures who refused to qualify the acts of the Islamist movement as “terrorist”.
“France condemns in the strongest possible terms these atrocious acts. Hamas is a terrorist movement, and acting as it does, it knows that it is criminally and cynically exposing the population of Gaza,” continued the head of state.
13 French people dead, 17 still missing, some taken hostage
“At this time, 13 of our compatriots have died during this attack,” said the president. “Never since the Nice attack in 2016 have so many French people been murdered by terrorists,” he commented. The fate of 17 other French nationals still remains unknown, he added. Some of them are “undoubtedly” being held hostage.
Before this speech, several families of French hostages asked the head of state to “intervene” to save their loved ones. “France is doing everything possible to bring them back safely to their homes,” and “we will do everything to ensure that these hostages, whatever their nationalities, are released,” replied Emmanuel Macron.
President calls on Israel to preserve civilian populations in Gaza
“The only response to terrorism, the only possible one, is always a strong and just response, strong because it is just,” thundered the French president. If “Israel has the right to defend itself by eliminating terrorist groups with targeted actions”, the country must do so by “preserving civilian populations, because this is the duty of democracy”, insisted Emmanuel Macron.
The Head of State recalled the French line on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which calls for “guarantees for the security of the State of Israel”, “the eradication of terrorism”, but also “respect for the aspirations » of the Palestinians, with the creation of their own state.
Macron commits to anti-Semitism
With the arrival of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Emmanuel Macron reaffirms: he does not want to “let any words, any anti-Semitic acts, any stigmatization flourish”. The “Republic will be there to protect you and it will be merciless to all the bearers of hatred”, he insisted, recalling that 10,000 police officers and gendarmes are mobilized to protect 582 sensitive sites, such as schools or places of worship. . He will also be “attentive” to terrorist threats and hateful messages on social networks, he assured.
The president also warned of the risks of “amalgamation” targeting the Muslim community. “We will always fight so that no one is afraid,” he said, believing that anti-Semitism remained “a prelude to all forms of hatred”, particularly towards other religions and communities.
Emmanuel Macron also warned people supporting the actions of Hamas, as several pro-Palestinian demonstrations were recently held in several French cities, despite being banned. “Those who confuse the Palestinian cause and the justification for terrorism are committing a moral, political and strategic mistake,” the president commented.
#Terrorist #Hamas #French #hostages #antiSemitism #remember #Macrons #speech #attacks #Israel