Tuesday’s actions followed criticisms from the UK, France, and Canada regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy mentioned that the existing trade agreement with Israel remains in place but the UK government is hesitant to engage in further discussions with an Israeli government that is pursuing what he considers to be harmful policies in the West Bank and Gaza.
Even though Israel allowed some essential supplies like baby food to enter Gaza on Monday, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher noted that the amount of aid received was significantly less than what is urgently required in the region.
Israel initially received widespread international support to root out Hamas militants following the group’s surprise attack that killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on October 7, 2023, and took 251 captives.
But patience with Israel is wearing thin after more than 53,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count. Israel’s latest onslaught has killed more than 300 people in recent days, local health officials said.
In recent weeks, Macron intensified diplomatic efforts to put pressure on Israel, urging a ceasefire and calling for lifting the blockade of humanitarian aid.
Women, children killed as Israel breaks Gaza ceasefire
Last month, Macron said France should move toward recognising a Palestinian state, possibly in June when France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting an international conference about implementing a two-state solution. The comments came after a visit to Egypt during which he met with injured Palestinians at El Arish hospital.
Macron, who has said that recognising Palestine is not a “taboo” for France, last week suggested that revisiting the EU’s cooperation agreements with Israel is on the table.
Tensions between France and Israel have escalated after Macron called for stopping arms deliveries for use in Gaza in an October radio interview, prompting Netanyahu’s strong criticism.
France also sought to impose a ban on Israeli defence companies to prevent them from exhibiting weapons at the Euronaval trade exhibition.
