By AFP
The speaker of France’s parliament accused a hard-left leader on Monday of putting “a new target on her back” after she visited Israel at the weekend to show solidarity following Hamas’s deadly attack.
Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7 and killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death on the first day of the raid, according to Israeli officials.
They also seized more than 200 hostages in the worst attack in Israel’s history.
More than 5,000 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed across the Gaza Strip in relentless Israeli bombardments in retaliation for the attacks by the Palestinian Islamist militant group, according to the latest toll from the Hamas health ministry in Gaza.
On Sunday, French far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon accused parliament speaker Yael Braun-Pivet, who is Jewish, of “setting up camp in Tel Aviv to encourage the massacre” in Gaza.
“Not in the name of the French people!” he said on X, formerly Twitter.
Braun-Pivet told broadcaster France Inter she was “very shocked” and accused Melenchon of deliberately using the French term “camper”, which she alleged was a reference to concentration camps.
“I am convinced that the word ‘camper’ was not chosen by chance and the claim that I favour massacres is once again a new target being put on my back,” she said.
Braun-Pivet, a member of President Emmanuel Macron’s party, said that when she read “certain” social media messages and letters, she felt threatened and could not leave home without police protection.
In Israel, Braun-Pivet visited two of the sites attacked by Hamas militants on October 7.
“I never said that I unconditionally support the government of Israel, but I unconditionally support the existence of Israel,” she said.
Braun-Pivet later Monday got the backing of Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who told parliament the speaker had been the target of “despicable accusations”.
The refusal by Melenchon, the leader of the France Unbowed party, to describe Hamas as a terror group has caused a crisis within France’s left-wing NUPES coalition, which also includes Socialists, Greens and Communists.
Macron himself has expressed concern that the war between Israel and Hamas could create divisions in France, which is home to large Muslim and Jewish populations.
Thousands of people rallied in Paris on Sunday demanding an end to the Israeli military operation in Gaza following the Hamas attack.
Borne also told parliament Monday that she hoped for a “humanitarian truce” to allow more aid into Gaza, saying it could become the basis of a ceasefire.
Borne said Israel needed to find an “appropriate response” to “terrorism”, and “avoid falling into the trap set by Hamas”. Follow channel on WhatsApp
The speaker of France’s parliament accused a hard-left leader on Monday of putting “a new target on her back” after she visited Israel at the weekend to show solidarity following Hamas’s deadly attack.
Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7 and killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death on the first day of the raid, according to Israeli officials.
They also seized more than 200 hostages in the worst attack in Israel’s history.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
More than 5,000 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed across the Gaza Strip in relentless Israeli bombardments in retaliation for the attacks by the Palestinian Islamist militant group, according to the latest toll from the Hamas health ministry in Gaza.
On Sunday, French far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon accused parliament speaker Yael Braun-Pivet, who is Jewish, of “setting up camp in Tel Aviv to encourage the massacre” in Gaza.
“Not in the name of the French people!” he said on X, formerly Twitter.
Braun-Pivet told broadcaster France Inter she was “very shocked” and accused Melenchon of deliberately using the French term “camper”, which she alleged was a reference to concentration camps.
“I am convinced that the word ‘camper’ was not chosen by chance and the claim that I favour massacres is once again a new target being put on my back,” she said.
Braun-Pivet, a member of President Emmanuel Macron’s party, said that when she read “certain” social media messages and letters, she felt threatened and could not leave home without police protection.
In Israel, Braun-Pivet visited two of the sites attacked by Hamas militants on October 7.
“I never said that I unconditionally support the government of Israel, but I unconditionally support the existence of Israel,” she said.
Braun-Pivet later Monday got the backing of Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who told parliament the speaker had been the target of “despicable accusations”.
The refusal by Melenchon, the leader of the France Unbowed party, to describe Hamas as a terror group has caused a crisis within France’s left-wing NUPES coalition, which also includes Socialists, Greens and Communists.
Macron himself has expressed concern that the war between Israel and Hamas could create divisions in France, which is home to large Muslim and Jewish populations.
Thousands of people rallied in Paris on Sunday demanding an end to the Israeli military operation in Gaza following the Hamas attack.
Borne also told parliament Monday that she hoped for a “humanitarian truce” to allow more aid into Gaza, saying it could become the basis of a ceasefire.
Borne said Israel needed to find an “appropriate response” to “terrorism”, and “avoid falling into the trap set by Hamas”. Follow channel on WhatsApp
