From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 3, 2024
France says Smotrich, Ben Gvir ‘fueling tensions’ with resettlement talk
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
France adds its voice to the condemnation of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, calling on Israel to “refrain from such provocative statements, which are irresponsible and fuel tensions.”
“France recalls that the forced transfer of populations constitutes a serious violation of international law within the meaning of the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute,” reads the statement from the Foreign Ministry.
The Quai d’Orsay adds that “it is not up to the Israeli government to decide where the Palestinians should live on their lands. The future of the Gaza Strip and its inhabitants will be part of a unified Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside Israel.”
