Israel: French MPs reject resolution denouncing 'apartheid regime'

Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credits: Xose Bouzas / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP 19:02 pm, May 04, 2023

The National Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a communist motion for a resolution condemning "Israel's institutionalization of an apartheid regime," despite calls from a part of the left to support a text "on the side of international law." MP Jean-Paul Lecoq, author of the text, insisted on the "deep attachment" of his group "to the existence of the State of Israel", but criticized an "illiberal and colonial drift of this State".

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Strong criticism in the presidential camp

Tabled as part of the day reserved for the texts of the communist group, the resolution had been the subject of strong criticism in the presidential camp, the right and the extreme right, but also by socialist elected representatives, as well as the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF). "Whether the reasons are political, security or religious, the settlement policy is contrary to international legality," said Jean-Paul Lecoq, arguing that the situation of the Palestinians "is legally an apartheid situation".

"It is an institutionalized regime, engraved in the marble of the law (...), with the aim of oppressing one group over another (and) institutionally kept in place," he listed, invoking "the hundreds of UN resolutions, (...) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe", and "investigations and reports published by NGOs".

Support for rebellious and ecologist MPs

Its resolution, which would not have been binding, called on the executive to recognize the "State of Palestine", to submit a resolution to the UN to impose on Israel "a strict arms embargo", and the repeal of "circulars prohibiting the call for boycott of settlement products". It received the support of rebellious and ecologist MEPs but not of the Socialist Group. The resolution was rejected by 199 votes to 71.

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"I understand your legitimate desire to bring out of indifference the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," declared Jérôme Guedj (PS), rejecting however the term "apartheid", accusing it of "racialising and essentialising" a "territorial conflict", transforming it into a "conflict between Jews and Arabs". The rest of the Assembly also voted against, with Renaissance group president Aurore Bergé denouncing a "gesture of hatred of the State of Israel", "offense" and "defamation", and castigating an "obsession" against Israel.

A term "largely excessive and misplaced", says Laurence Boone

"The France is Israel's friend," Laurence Boone, Secretary of State for Europe, said afterwards, rejecting a term "largely excessive and misplaced". "Today anti-Semitism is mainly on the left," said LR MK Meyer Habib, whose constituency of French Abroad includes Israel, and who is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"These are deep insults" and "defamatory attacks that take us away from a path of peace," lashed Elsa Faucillon (PCF) in a tense end of session. "Anti-Semitism we vomit, we hate it," also launched the rebellious Aymeric Caron. "Let's not confuse criticism of the Israeli government's policy... with anti-Semitism," said Mireille Clapot, the only member of her group to abstain on the text. "I recognize the merit of this resolution to have put the subject back in the public debate," she justified without "adhering to a content likely to stir up dramatic antagonisms".