Macron: Israel's Middle East Strategy Fuels Hatred and Violence

French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that Israel’s military strategy in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank runs counter to Israel’s own interests because it fuels hatred and violence. In an interview with France 2 television on Thursday (18/6), Macron said that US President Donald Trump was right to ask Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “show a sense of responsibility.” He asserted that Israel’s security cannot be guaranteed through occupation or control of territory in neighbouring countries. “The strategy being pursued (by Netanyahu) in Gaza, the West Bank, and southern Lebanon in the long term is contrary to Israel’s interests because it provokes hatred and violence among the people of the region,” Macron said. He further emphasised the importance of the newly signed peace agreement with Iran for Lebanon. “We will soon mobilise the international community to help the Lebanese army regain control of its territory,” he stated. Macron stressed that the conflict with Iran is not entirely over despite the agreement, but that a new phase of cooperation and dialogue has now begun. “It is always better to have an agreement than war, especially when there is a risk of escalation, and that is what happened,” he said. “You cannot achieve regime change through bombing.”