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Tag: diplomatic source

  • France asks Israel to boost security at Jerusalem consulate after protests

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    “France expects the Israeli authorities to fulfill their obligations under the Vienna Convention and provide protection for diplomatic and consular staff and their buildings,” a French source said.

    France has asked the Foreign Ministry for Israel to bolster security at the European country’s consulate in Jerusalem following protests against it, N12 News reported on Thursday.

    The outlet stated that the ministry had received the request, which was submitted following protests in September and October, and was also sent to the police.

    “France expects the Israeli authorities to fulfill their obligations under the Vienna Convention and provide protection for diplomatic and consular staff and their buildings,” a French diplomatic source told N12.

    The consulate, established in 1843 in the western part of Jerusalem, handles France’s diplomatic relations with the Palestinians in east Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. It also serves around 25,000 French citizens living in the city’s western half.

    In recent months, the consulate was at the heart of a diplomatic spat between France and the Jewish state. Israeli media reported at the time of the protests that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar had supported closing it after French President Emmanuel Macron announced his intention to recognize a Palestinian state.

    A picture shows the French consulate in Jerusalem on June 18, 2024. (credit: Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images)

    The same was reported by French newspaper Le Figaro in September, which noted that a source close to Macron had said the Foreign Ministry had informed France of the potential move.

    MK Ohad Tal confronts French consulate worker

    Further, N12 noted a more recent incident where, last week, Knesset members were at the location during a tour of the Israeli capital.

    According to the report, Religious Zionist Party MK Ohad Tal, who was on the tour, confronted a French representative who was outside the consulate and asked, “Why do you work from here if you represent the Palestinians? This is Israel. We will make sure that you can no longer operate from here and represent our enemies.”

    Referring to the incident, the French diplomatic source told N12 that “any attack on our staff at the consulate is unacceptable. There have been campaigns against the consulate for a long time. This cannot happen.”

    The source continued, saying, “This is clearly a hostile act against a French representative; we are concerned.”

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  • France responsible for UNIFIL decision to shoot down Israeli drone in southern Lebanon

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    France was responsible for deciding to shoot down an Israeli drone in Kafr Kila on Sunday, a diplomatic source told Le Figaro. The outlet also reported that the UNIFIL peacekeepers were French.

    France was responsible for the decision to shoot down an Israeli drone in Kafr Kila, southern Lebanon, on Sunday, a diplomatic source told French outlet Le Figaro on Monday.

    The UNIFIL peacekeepers involved in the incident were from the French military, Le Figaro noted, while commenting that it is rare for peacekeepers to shoot down an Israeli drone.

    The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) claimed that the Israeli drone came close to a UNIFIL patrol and “dropped a grenade,” followed by an Israeli tank which “fired a shot” towards UNIFIL peacekeepers.

    UNIFIL also claimed that this followed a similar incident earlier on Sunday in the same location where “an Israeli drone flew over the UNIFIL patrol in an aggressive manner.”

    A UN vehicle drives, during a Reuters’ visit at Camp Shamrock where Irish and Polish peacekeepers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are stationed near Maroun al-Ras village close to the Lebanese-Israeli border, in southern Lebanon November 29, 2023. (credit: AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS)

    UNIFIL asserted that the events violated UN Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as Lebanon’s sovereignty.

    IDF disputes UNIFIL’s report of events

    However, the IDF disputed this report of events.

    IDF Arabic Spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee clarified that the original drone was shot down during a routine information-gathering and reconnaissance mission.

    “Preliminary investigations revealed that UNIFIL forces, which were present near the location, deliberately fired at the drone despite it posing no threat to them,” Adraee explained.

    “After the drone was shot down, IDF soldiers threw a hand grenade at the area where the drone was downed,” he added, while confirming that no fire was directed towards UNIFIL peacekeepers, and that the incident will be investigated via military liaison channels.

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