The umbrella organization of French Jews (CRIF) heavily criticized French President Emmanuel Macron's call for an arms embargo on Israel. "CRIF deeply regrets the President of the Republic's statement calling for an arms embargo on Israel in its war against Hamas. This call to deny Israel weapons does not promote peace but plays into the hands of Hamas and Hezbollah," the organization said in a statement.
The call was shared on CRIF's X (formerly Twitter) account, along with a reminder to President Macron about Hamas's killing spree in Israel, including French citizens among the victims. "The truth is that in the Middle East, if Hamas lays down its weapons, there will be peace. If Israel is left without weapons, there will be no more Israel. We remind you that Hamas killed 48 French nationals in its terror attack on October 7 and is still holding hostages. Hamas refuses any ceasefire or hostage release. Denying Israel the ability to defend itself would be a bonus granted to terrorism, including the kind that threatens France. This statement, on the eve of the anniversary of October 7, hurts everyone who is committed to fighting terrorism and encourages terror," the statement read.
Le Crif déplore vivement la déclaration du Président de la République appelant à un embargo contre les armes utilisées par Israël dans la guerre contre le Hamas.
Appeler à priver Israël d'armes, ce n'est pas faire le jeu de la paix, cela revient à faire le jeu du Hamas et du…
— CRIF (@Le_CRIF) October 5, 2024
"Democracies must stand together when one of them is attacked. Isolating one of the countries fighting terrorism means weakening all the countries battling Islamism and terrorism," the organization stressed.
CRIF's post is in line with an interview given by the organization's president Yonathan Arfi in Le Monde, where he describes the rising antisemitism in France and explains the connection between French Jewry and Israel. "October 7 caused a sudden feeling of dizzying insecurity and immense vulnerability. For Jews around the world, the State of Israel has, since its founding, played a symbolic role in providing reassurance. That day, beyond the trauma we experienced watching the horrific massacre unfold in real time, our sense of security also collapsed. October 7 brought back the ghosts of historical persecutions against Jews. While the immediate sense of vulnerability has gradually faded since that day, the trauma remains, like a kind of historical regression, as if we have returned to a time we thought was over, when the Jewish people were fragile, threatened, and persecuted," Arfi said.
