The Israeli Foreign Minister mediates with his British and French counterparts - Reuters
France and Britain condemn settler violence...and Israel demands an attack on Iran
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Published on: August 16, 2024: 03:18 PM GST
Last updated: August 16, 2024: 04:43 PM GST
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In the first joint tour by French Foreign Minister Stephane Ségournet and British Foreign Minister David Lammy in the Middle East in ten years, which included Israel and later the Palestinian territories, Ségournet stressed the need to avoid the outbreak of a regional war in the region.
The French minister, speaking from Jerusalem, along with his British counterpart, also stressed on Friday that Paris condemns the Israeli settlers' attack on the village of Jet in the West Bank.
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In turn, Lamy stressed that settler violence is unacceptable and affects the ceasefire negotiations.
He also announced that Israel pledged to investigate the settlers involved in the violence, especially the one that broke out on Thursday night.
He also indicated that the talks he and his French counterpart held with the Israeli side were positive.
"Attacking important targets"
For his part, Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz said shortly after his meeting with his French and British counterparts that Tel Aviv expects its allies to support it in “attacking important targets” in Iran if they are attacked.
He said in a statement issued by his office, “We expect France and the United Kingdom to tell Iran clearly and publicly that it is forbidden to attack Israel, and if it attacks, the US-led coalition will join Israel, not only to defend it but also to attack important targets” inside Iran.
Stephane Sigournet and David Lammy in Israel
Stephane Sigournet and David Lammy in Israel
Delicate timing
The French Foreign Ministry stressed in a statement earlier today the need to push for “a diplomatic solution that allows reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and restoring calm on the border between Lebanon and Israel.”
She also confirmed that Paris and London support the efforts of the American, Egyptian and Qatari mediators, and urged avoiding a regional war that would have dire consequences.
Dangerous moment
In turn, Lamy warned before his visit to Jerusalem that the region was going through a sensitive time, saying, "This is a dangerous moment for the Middle East." He warned that the risk of the situation getting out of control was increasing.
He also added that any Iranian attack on Israel "would have serious consequences for the region."
This visit and the warnings came at a time when the region has been experiencing unprecedented tension for weeks, following the assassination of the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran, as well as the leader of Hezbollah, Fouad Shukr, in the heart of the southern suburbs of Beirut late last July.
Especially after Hezbollah and Tehran threatened Israel with a painful and inevitable response.
It also came with the increase in attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank.
The West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967, has witnessed an escalation in violence for more than a year, but the situation has deteriorated further since the war broke out in the Gaza Strip on October 7th.
Since the outbreak of the war, at least 633 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, according to official Palestinian statistics.