RT-Engels: 07-10-2024,
The French president earlier urged Western nations to end weapons deliveries to the Jewish state amid the escalation with Hezbollah and Iran
British Defense Secretary John Healey on Monday rejected French President Emmanuel Macron’s earlier call to stop weapons deliveries to Israel. In an interview with Sky News, Healey signaled the UK will not back Macron’s initiative, as it “works a different system” for arms supplies.
This week marks a year since the Hamas attacks on southern Israel that led to Israel’s military operation in the enclave. The operation increased tensions between Israel and neighboring Muslim countries, which have sided with the Palestinians. Earlier this month, meanwhile, Israel launched a ground operation in Lebanon, while Iran hit the Jewish state with a massive missile attack.
In an interview with French media aired on Saturday, Macron said that Western nations should “stop delivering arms” to Israel, stressing the need for a “political solution” to the crisis in the Middle East and warning that Lebanon could turn into “a new Gaza.” His words brought a swift and fiery response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said in a post on X that Macron’s call was a “disgrace” while vowing that Israel “would win with or without” Western support.
When asked to comment on Macron’s suggestion, Healey made clear that London would not support a full arms embargo on Israel.