Unbearable images broadcast to the National Assembly. A video of the massacres committed by Hamas on Israeli territory will be shown Tuesday afternoon in a room at the Palais Bourbon. This film, approximately three-quarters of an hour long, was produced by the Israeli authorities using extracts from the cameras and telephones of the October 7 commandos, killed or taken prisoner, and images captured by victims and Rescuers. We see killings of civilians, decapitated corpses and burned bodies of children, according to the accounts of journalists from Release who attended one of the press screenings.
The Renaissance MP Mathieu Lefèvre, at the origin of this initiative, explains to us why he wants to show these images to the 120 MPs of the France-Israel friendship group, which he chairs, and responds to the criticism.
Why organize such a screening within the Assembly?
It seemed essential to me to be able to bear witness to the reality of what happened on October 7. One news story often chases another, and nothing would be worse than forgetting in the face of barbarism. I am motivated by the need to avoid any statute of limitations on these despicable acts. It is a moment of truth and of the fight against oblivion, a moment which also allows us to pull ourselves together in the face of terrorism. I myself am a little afraid of the images in this film. This is why we are providing a medical service with firefighters if any elected officials feel unwell during the screening.
Don’t you think that elected officials are already well informed of the reality of this attack?
When you see, in recent days, the words of David Guiraud [le député insoumis est accusé d’avoir relativisé les actes du Hamas en attribuant à Israël des atrocités comparables. Il indique ce lundi qu’il sera présent à la projection], this encourages us to fight against all forms of negationism and conspiracy. It is important to show the facts so that no one turns away from them. Journalists had access to it, it is not illegitimate that parliamentarians also had it. We are actors in public life, our words are also heard.
Furthermore, it is important that those who refused to label Hamas as terrorist, or even called it a “resistance movement”, can be confronted with the reality of these images, and therefore faced with their responsibilities. . In this age of information confusion, it is important to tell the truth.
These images were partly filmed by the October 7 commandos with the aim of terrorizing. Isn’t it playing into Hamas’ hands to broadcast them? This is what your colleague from the Renaissance group, Éric Bothorel, thinks…
The worst thing would be to forget the weight of terror, and to forget what they wanted to make the Israeli people feel. This is in no way an apology for their actions or morbid fascination. Phones will be left outside, so nothing can be recorded. This will remain a secret of our consciences, we do not intend to show it to the general public, but as a relay of opinion, to be able to talk about it.
It is important to show that Hamas not only wanted to kill, but also to annihilate the victims. These are not simple assassinations, we cannot fully grasp it if we do not see the horror bluntly. There is terror, barbarity, and a form of morbid rejoicing. Beyond the actions, there was the desire to do as much harm as possible.
The film is a montage made by Israel. Isn’t this problematic in the context, when a communication war is also being played out? Aymeric Caron [seul député LFI du groupe d’amitié France-Israël] asked you to also broadcast images of Palestinian victims in Gaza. What do you answer him?
Of course, the editing was done by the Israeli army, but these images are true, I am sure, nothing can be taken away from their authentic nature unfortunately. It is not a question, as I have read, of choosing one camp in place of another. The object is not to seek to justify the response of the Israeli army, that is neither the place nor the object. We are not here to enter into victim competition. I would also like to remind you that everything must be done to protect civilian populations and avoid any indiscriminate response.