France reached out to Iran seeking pressure on Hamas to accept the ceasefire and hostage release agreement, offering in exchange to press Israel to conclude its Gaza operations, revealed Ofer Bronchtein, an Israeli who advises French President Emmanuel Macron on Middle East affairs, in an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom.
Bronchtein disclosed that during each round of Hamas-Israel negotiations through intermediaries, Macron engaged Iran through French diplomatic and security channels to influence Hamas toward agreement. "President Macron personally, alongside French foreign service and intelligence agencies, worked directly with Iran. The Iranians pledged their assistance, while France committed to pressuring Israel to conclude its Gaza operations," Bronchtein stated.
Bronchtein noted that despite Iran's support for terror organizations fighting Israel, Tehran did not oppose implementing a ceasefire and hostage release agreement. "We know Turkey engaged with Hamas, attempting to leverage their strong ideological ties to promote acceptance of the ceasefire," Bronchtein explained. "Qatar's involvement stems from both American requests and their connections to Hamas leadership, whom they've hosted, plus a formal written request from Israel."
"Securing Iranian support for the deal was crucial given their financial and ideological influence over Hamas. While their leverage over Hamas has diminished during their period of geopolitical weakness, they remain a significant regional actor."
According to Bronchtein, France advocates for a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict and facilitate Hamas' political removal from Gaza, despite the steep cost. "President Macron believes phased approaches endanger the hostages, favoring instead a single comprehensive deal to end hostilities and achieve a political resolution. This framework envisions Hamas ceasing to function as an armed terror organization. While Hamas' ideology cannot be eliminated, an expedited solution must be found to secure the hostages' release, even at the considerable cost of prisoner releases. The situation requires a political solution enabling non-Hamas Palestinian governance in Gaza under international supervision and support."
An event related to arrangements Israel reached in Gaza and Lebanon is France's renewed approval for Israeli companies to participate in defense exhibitions in France, an issue that was significant for Israel's defense exports. As previously reported, after the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with President Macron in what was described as an "excellent" conversation. Following this, Macron lifted his opposition to Israeli companies participating in future international exhibitions.
