Israel-France relations

French Prime Minister Jean Castex (C), flanked by Director General of Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris (AP-HP) Martin Hirsch (L) and French Health and Solidarity Minister Olivier Veran (2L) visits a COVID-19 testing unit set up to screen arriving passengers at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport on July 24, 2020 (Christophe PETIT TESSON / POOL / AFP)

July 24, 2020, 11:37 pm

France to test its nationals arriving from 16 countries, including Israel

French citizens and residents arriving from Israel, US and 14 other countries will be quarantined if positive for COVID-19; non-residents from these countries are already barred

By AFP

Protesters demonstrate against Israel's plan to annex parts of the West Bank during a rally in Brussels, Belgium, on June 28, 2020. (Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images via JTA)

July 15, 2020, 9:42 am

EU ministers said seeking list of deterrents to warn Israel off annexation

Envoys ask policy chief Borrell to draw up possible ‘legal consequences’ in bid to stop West Bank move, saying time is short; British PM talks with Abbas, reiterates opposition

By TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) meets with French President Emmanuel Macron, at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 24, 2018. (GPO)

July 10, 2020, 12:13 pm

In phone call, France’s Macron asks Netanyahu to drop West Bank annexation bid

French president ’emphasized that such a move would contravene international law,’ says his office; PM says he ‘clarified Israel is acting in accordance with international law’

By AFP and TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right0 gives a joint statement with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry prior to their meeting at his Jerusalem office on July 10, 2016. (AFP PHOTO/GALI TIBBON)

July 7, 2020, 2:08 pm

Egypt, Jordan, France and Germany warn annexation may hurt ties with Israel

Also, Netanyahu tells UK’s Boris Johnson that Israel remains committed to peace negotiations with Palestinians based on ‘creative and realistic’ Trump plan

By Raphael Ahren

Illustrative: Pope Francis meets Oren David, the new Israeli Ambassador to the Holy See, on the occasion of the presentation of letters of credentials, at the Vatican, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. (L'Osservatore Romano/ANSA via AP)

July 2, 2020, 1:36 am

Vatican summons Israeli, US ambassadors to protest annexation plans

Holy See calls on Israel and the Palestinians to return to dialogue; France warns that unilateral Israeli steps would have ‘consequences’

By TOI staff

French Ambassador to Israel Eric Danon (courtesy French Embassy Tel Aviv)

June 1, 2020, 12:14 pm

French envoy: We’re not making threats, but annexation will have consequences

Eric Danon also explains why Paris won’t outlaw Hezbollah, what’s next for French aliyah and how he defied diplomatic tradition to become France’s first Jewish ambassador to Israel

By Raphael Ahren

An Israeli flag is seen in the E1 area of the West Bank on January 2, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

May 19, 2020, 10:11 pm

France warns annexation in West Bank could hurt Israel’s ties with EU

In joint statement with Palestinian Authority PM, German FM says extension of Israeli sovereignty over settlements, Jordan Valley would be ‘a clear violation of international law’

By Raphael Ahren and Alexander Fulbright

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks in Aachen, Germany, Jan. 22, 2019. (Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images via JTA)

May 12, 2020, 9:23 am

EU ministers expected to weigh punitive response to West Bank annexation

Reportedly led by France, European nations seek to warn Israel of sanctions from its largest trading partner if it declares sovereignty over parts of territory

By TOI staff

Marseille's mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin chairs a town council, on January 27, 2020 at Marseille city hall. (Photo by GERARD JULIEN / AFP)

February 26, 2020, 9:13 am

Marseille mayor signs letter calling Tel Aviv ‘ex-Palestine’

French Jewish group complains about letter to resident born in Israeli city; municipality says description carried over from official records

By Cnaan Liphshiz

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands at an overview overlooking the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa, where he announced a new neighborhood is to be built, February 20, 2020. (Debbie Hill/Pool via AP)

February 25, 2020, 10:02 am

US gave PM green light for Givat Hamatos construction 1.5 years ago – report

Netanyahu said international pressure prevented announcement until less than 2 weeks before elections, but report says he knew White House had already okayed controversial project

By TOI staff

This photo from February 15, 2017, shows the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

February 21, 2020, 8:33 pm

France, Germany slam plan to build, expand East Jerusalem neighborhoods

European nations condemn Netanyahu’s announcement of approval for 3,000 homes for Jews in project that would cut off Palestinian areas in capital from West Bank

By TOI staff and Jacob Magid

View of the hotels in the southern Israeli city of Eilat. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)

February 18, 2020, 11:15 am

Eilat and France’s Nice launch joint smart cities initiative

Municipalities of the 2 beachfront tourist destinations to collaborate on project addressing urban woes in health, infrastructure, transportation

By Luke Tress

Israeli F-16 and French Dassault Rafale fighter jets fly together as part of a joint air exercise in February 2020. (Israel Defense Forces)

February 13, 2020, 8:02 am

IAF pilots practice their dog fighting, and English, in war games with French

Drill over southern Israel features simulated three-on-three combat, with Israeli pilots in F-16s and the French flying Dassault Rafales from aircraft carrier off Israeli coast

By Judah Ari Gross

Heron TP (Eitan) is designed to fly at high altitude on missions spanning several days developed by the Israel Aerospace Industry. (Tsahi Ben-Ami / Flash 90)

February 2, 2020, 6:29 pm

Morocco’s military said to receive 3 Israeli reconnaissance drones

Israeli-made Heron long-endurance UAVs served with French Air Force in Afghanistan, will now be deployed against jihadists, rebels in Western Sahara, report says

By TOI staff

French President Emmanuel Macron asks Israeli police to leave the 12th-century Church of Saint Anne in the Old City of Jerusalem on January 22, 2020. (Ludovic Marin/AFP)

January 22, 2020, 6:43 pm

Macron yells at Israeli security to leave French church during Jerusalem visit

French president loses his temper, says he ‘knows the rules’ at Church of St. Anne, a French territory; incident similar to dust-up with Jaques Chirac in 1996

By AFP and TOI staff