The visit of French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot to Jerusalem, today, Thursday, included a diplomatic dispute between France and Israel, after “armed” members of the Israeli police entered “without permission” a site that includes a church run by Paris.

Barrow denounced an “unacceptable situation” and refused entry to the “Eliona” site located on the Mount of Olives, while the Israeli police arrested two French gendarmes at the site, according to what an Agence France-Presse journalist saw.

Rising tension

It is noteworthy that tension has escalated between France and Israel in light of the current crisis in the region. During recent weeks, the altercation between French President Emmanuel Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was repeated more than once, as Macron stressed in early October the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. However, Netanyahu criticized and said that Israel expects support from France and not the imposition of “restrictions” on it.

Then Macron stated that arms shipments used in the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon must stop as part of a broader effort to find a political solution, which ignited the fire of Netanyahu’s anger, and the Prime Minister attacked him, saying: “Shame on them,” in reference to the French president and other Western leaders. Who called for an arms embargo on Israel.

This came after Netanyahu urged the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, to transfer UNIFIL forces from the combat zones in Lebanon, calling for the immediate removal of the United Nations force from its positions.

However, this request was rejected, stressing that any targeting of its members constitutes a war crime.

This came after casualties occurred among the force’s ranks as a result of intentional Israeli attacks on them.

Last week, Macron expressed his conviction that the time has come for a ceasefire in Lebanon