According to outgoing French Ambassador Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Journ\u00e8s, these countries took a year to decide to engage in a coordinated effort to castigate Israel for its failure to prevent latter-day zealots from allegedly severely injuring and even killing Palestinians.<\/p>\n
Journ\u00e8s, in an interview this week on Reshet Bet public radio, said that even though France and the other countries continue to maintain diplomatic ties with Israel, they cannot remain indifferent to Israeli policy and actions that run contrary to democratic principles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not against Israel, but against the policies of your leaders,\u201d Journ\u00e8s told Eran Cicurel.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsrael was loved in Paris. We\u2019ve lost it, and we need to get it back,\u201d he continued, as he explained how attitudes toward Israel have changed due to the support for hostilities against Palestinians by certain Israeli leaders.<\/p>\n
![\"(L-R):](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/687278.jpeg\"\/)
(L-R): National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich seen in the Knesset plenum, December 29, 2022 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL\/FLASH90)Ben-Gvir, Smotrich banned from many European countries\u00a0<\/p>\n
On a personal level, Journ\u00e8s said that he loves Israel \u2013 the people and the country \u2013 despite the heat, adding that he has friends among Israeli officials with whom he disagrees politically and on other issues.<\/p>\n
One of the things he loves about Israel, he said, is that people can scream at each other at a meeting, after which they get together again as friends as though nothing untoward had happened.<\/p>\n
Within days of announcing the sanctions, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, together with her Australian and Canadian counterparts, Penny Wong and Anita Anand, respectively, announced the establishment of a peace-building fund for Israel and Palestine to address the roots of the conflict and support a sustainable two-state solution.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the High Court of Justice is contributing to Israel\u2019s negative image. In addition to sanctions taken against Israel in relation to violent attacks on Palestinians in their villages, and wanton destruction of their crops and their property, many European governments are critical of Israel\u2019s refusal to allow humanitarian aid groups to enter Gaza to provide sustenance to Palestinians suffering malnutrition and disease, economic hardship, and bereavement.<\/p>\n
The court rejected a petition by 19 NGOs and upheld the government\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n
This violates the core of humanitarian principles, said Shai Grunberg, the spokesperson for one of the petitioners \u2013 Gisha, the Legal Center for Freedom of Movement.<\/p>\n
In the spirit of the best-laid plans of mice and men going awry, veteran social entrepreneur, event hostess, and peace activist Alice Krieger planned a book launch at her home in Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n
She had sent out invitations well in advance and had informed the two authors of the book that they would have an appreciative audience.<\/p>\n
Then, just hours before the event was due to start, a national alarm sounded, and people across the country went scurrying into private and public shelters.<\/p>\n
Krieger began receiving a flurry of phone calls from invitees who apologized for canceling their attendance.<\/p>\n
A couple of hours later, an all-clear announcement was made, and Krieger received another flood of phone calls from people rescinding their cancellations.<\/p>\n
Some even asked whether they could bring a friend. In the final analysis, close to 60 people showed up, and nearly all of them bought a signed copy of the book.<\/p>\n