Catherine Colonna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic advisor to the Head of State, and Emmanuel Macron, on November 9, at the Élysée. LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP
DECRYPTION – The president, who began by unambiguously recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself, attracted strong criticism by calling for a “ceasefire”.
Since October 7, Emmanuel Macron’s Middle East policy has resembled a whirlwind, pushed from one side then the other by emotions and fears dictated by international and national news. The first step was obvious: the president unambiguously denounced the Hamas terrorist attacks and unconditionally supported Israel’s right to defend itself. He even, initially, banned pro-Palestinian demonstrations in France. It was followed by a wavering, which led Emmanuel Macron to Tel Aviv at the back of the pack, after Biden, Scholz, the Italian Meloni, the British Sunak and even the Dutch Rutte. But the political course was maintained. The president reaffirmed the need to “defeat terrorism» and to eradicate Hamas, a “priority“.
The first stumble was that of the “international coalition », an unrealistic proposal intended to reproduce – against Hamas – the international fight waged against Daesh. It was not relayed…
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