French President Emmanuel Macron has urged for the complete suspension of arms sales used in the conflict in Gaza. Macron emphasized that France has not been involved in supplying arms for the war in Gaza. He stated in an interview with French radio station France Inter that the priority is to return to a political solution and halt the delivery of weapons being used in the conflict.
While France's Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu has stated that the country mainly provides 'spare parts' to Israel, worth 15 million euros in 2022, and has not supplied any weapons, this response has faced criticism from French and international NGOs. Amnesty International, among others, has called on Macron to suspend the export of war materials entirely.
Several other countries, including the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have been under scrutiny for continuing arms sales to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The UK government recently announced the suspension of a portion of its licenses for items used by the Israeli military in Gaza, while Germany has paused the approval of new arms export licenses to Israel.
Macron's call for the suspension of arms sales comes at a time when Israel is also involved in escalating tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon, where it has initiated a new bombing campaign similar to its actions in Gaza. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely as efforts are made to address the conflict and work towards a peaceful resolution.
