Arms embargo on Israel would strengthen Iran, Netanyahu tells Macron

An arms embargo against Israel as the IDF is fighting Iran and its proxies would only strengthen the Islamic Republic, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday as tensions mounted between the otherwise strong allies.

“Iran's support for all parts of its axis of terrorism, Israel expects its friends to stand behind it and not impose restrictions that will only strengthen the Iranian axis of evil.” the Prime Minister's Office said as it paraphrased the message Netanyahu delivered to Macron.

France has taken a strong oral stand in defense of the Jewish state, condemning Hamas for the October 7 attack and backing its right to defend itself against Iran. Its army has also participated twice in defending Israel against incoming Iranian missiles and drones, once in April and again in September.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will be in Israel on Monday to stand in solidarity with the country, as part of a regional visit he is making this week in light of heightened regional tensions.

Macron reiterated his country’s support for the Jewish state in his phone call with Netanyahu on Sunday, according to the Élysée Palace.

'The time for a ceasefire has arrived'

“On the eve of the first anniversary of Hamas' terrorist attack against Israel, he stressed the French people’s solidarity with the people of Israel, particularly the victims, the hostages, and their loved ones,” the Élysée said.

“Israel, like everyone, has the right to defend itself against terrorism. Attacks against Israel and its citizens must cease, whether they are carried out by Iran or its proxies in the region,” Macron told Netanyahu according to the Élysée.

Still, he said, he believed that diplomacy was the best way to re-establish calm between Israel and Iran as well as its proxies. Israel has for the last year fought a proxy war against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen.

“The time for a ceasefire has arrived,” he said.

Prolonging the war in Gaza and extending it to Lebanon cannot produce the security wanted by Israel and everyone in the region, Macron said.

“We must immediately make the decisive effort that will allow us to develop the political solutions necessary for the security of Israel and everyone in the Middle East,” he said.

To help ensure that the guns go silent in Gaza, Macron on Saturday called on the International community to halt its sales of offensive weapons to Israel earmarked for use against Hamas in Gaza.

France is focused on casualties

According to a diplomatic source, France itself does not sell offensive weapons to Israel. France is not a major weapons provider for Israel, shipping military equipment worth 30 million euros ($33 million) last year, according to the Defense Ministry's annual arms exports report.

The French president issued the call to prohibit arms sales earmarked for Gaza, even though the IDF is still fighting Hamas in Gaza. France, along with many international communities, has focused more on the Palestinian casualty count in Gaza than Hamas’s military defeat.

Hamas has said that over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in the last year. Israel has said that some 17,000 combatants have been killed in Gaza.

Netanyahu drew a link between Macron’s call to halt arms and Israel’s battle with Iran, explaining that all the fronts were linked.

He also emphasized that “Israel's actions against Hezbollah are creating an opportunity to change the reality in Lebanon in favor of stability, security and peace in the entire region.”

Reuters contributed to this report.