2023-10-10 16:37:49
Mathilde Panot at the National Assembly, October 10, 2023. GONZALO FUENTES / REUTERS
In response to criticism from all sides against the reaction of the “rebels” after the Hamas attack against Israel, Mathilde Panot, the president of the “rebellious” deputies, tried to respond, Tuesday, October 10, without convincing.
In front of the press, refusing any mea culpa, Ms. Panot affirmed that her party would not change “one iota” his position and did not wish to directly qualify Hamas as an organization “terrorist”unlike the other left-wing parties: “It is the armed wing which is today responsible for war crimes”she told the press.
Position criticized
Not enough for the socialist deputy for Essonne, Jérôme Guedj, very critical of La France insoumise (LFI) since the weekend when he is usually one of the most ardent defenders of the union of the left. “By not naming Hamas as a terrorist group, but as an armed force that commits war crimes, LFI legitimizes Hamas and its modes of action”reacted Jérôme Guedj. “Unacceptable. Hamas is a terrorist organization. Not the regular Palestinian army »reacted on the X network (formerly Twitter) the first secretary of the Socialist Party (PS), Olivier Faure. “We unreservedly condemn the Hamas terrorist attack”assured Boris Vallaudthe leader of the socialist deputies, adding that the alliance must “undeniably work differently”.
In the process, PS deputies announced that they would suspend their participation in the preparation of a counter-budget from the left-wing Nupes alliance, on the sidelines of the 2024 budget, to mark their disagreement with LFI on Israel and Gaza. “For the moment, we don’t want to work” with LFI, explains a socialist source. The left-wing Nupes alliance (LFI, PS, Europe Ecologie-Les Verts, French Communist Party) intended to present a counter-budget on October 17 to bring together its common proposals, before examining the 2024 finance bill. “After refusing joint Nupes lists in the senatorial and European elections, the PS no longer wants Nupes in the National Assembly. Unacceptable denial of the word given to voters. It’s time to get your act together! »reacted the LFI coordinator, Manuel Bompard.
Communist MP Elsa Faucillon also condemned Hamas: “If your question is: ‘Is Hamas a terrorist organization? Did she commit terrorist acts?” [La réponse est] “oui” ».
When question session to the government in the afternoon, the elected representatives of the Republicans and part of those of the presidential majority left the Assembly chamber during Ms. Panot’s speech.
Truncated declaration according to LFI
“Rebellious” deputies responded that the sequence in which Mathilde Panot was questioned only showed part of her statements. “We condemn all war crimes, which aim at terror, so we can call them “terrorist””she also responded during this press conference.
In a tense exchange with a journalist who asked him if LFI had become the« idiot utile du Hamas »using a formula from Jérôme Guedj, and if anti-Semitism was “become a left-wing or at least LFI value”Ms. Panot denounced a question «insulting». “The little music which consists of saying that we are anti-Semitic is false, anti-Semitism is a poison that we are fighting”she replied.
While the LFI group is criticized for its initial press release on Saturday, which parallels the Hamas attack and the policy of the Israeli government, its president responded: “Our press release corresponds to the historical position of France and is in no way infamous. It is a statement for peace. » “It is obvious that the situation is evolving”she however conceded, citing “the announcement made about the hostages which is chilling”. Hamas has threatened to execute Israeli hostages in response to Israeli bombings, which are increasing on the Gaza Strip.
Read also: Live, Israel-Hamas war: at least eight French people killed and twenty missing in the Hamas attack, according to a latest report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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