Macron Sparks Israel-France Tensions with Israel's Creation Comments

Tense Relations

• Macron's comments on Israel's creation have further strained relations between the two countries.
• France has urged a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, but has also criticized Israel over the heavy civilian toll in the conflicts.
• Paris has also denounced Israeli fire against the 10,000 peacekeepers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, which includes a French contingent of around 700 troops.

Israel's Response

• Netanyahu hit back at Macron's comments, saying the country's founding was achieved by the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, not a UN ruling.
• He also said that among those who fought for Israel in 1948 were French Jews who had been sent to death camps after being rounded up by the collaborationist Vichy regime, which governed France during the Nazi occupation in World War II.
• The French presidency's readout of a phone call between both men Tuesday -- sent deep in the night, several hours after the conversation took place -- made clear the testy nature of the exchange.

Concerns within the Jewish Community

Organization	Comments
Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF)	The remarks "if confirmed" constituted a "both a historical and political error".
Caroline Yadan, MP for Macron's centrist party	The comments attributed to the president were "unworthy".
Left-wing daily Liberation	"Macron's words have sown trouble in the macronie,"