Israeli officials reject Gallant's 'attacks' on Paris after he rejects Lebanon initiative

Senior Israeli officials said that comments by the defense minister, who rejected a French initiative to contain tensions on the Lebanese border over "hostile policies against Israel," do not reflect the government's position.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday at the G7 summit in Italy that France, the United States and Israel would form a group to de-escalate soaring cross-border violence between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

But Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on social media platform X that "Israel will not be a party to the trilateral framework proposed by France," which last month had barred Israeli defense firms from a trade show.

"As we fight a just war, defending our people, France has adopted hostile policies against Israel," Gallant said, accusing Paris of ignoring attacks on Israelis by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials in the foreign ministry distanced themselves from Gallant's remarks.

Asked by AFP whether the comments reflected the government's position, a spokesperson for the prime minister's office said Gallant was speaking as defense minister.

The foreign ministry officials described the remarks as "attacks on France."

"Beyond the existing disagreements between Israel and France, the statements against France are incorrect and inappropriate," the officials said.

"France actively participated in the defense of Israel's skies and citizens and took part in the operation to thwart the Iranian missile attack" in April, they added.

The officials also praised France's "clear line of condemnation and sanctions against Hamas" since the onset of the Gaza war, as well as combating of the "scourge of anti-Semitism."

Macron's offer, which he said a similar one was being made to Lebanon, aims to curb near-daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah which have escalated in recent weeks.

The clashes began shortly after Hamas' October 7 attack on southern Israel that sparked the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

French authorities in May banned Israeli defense firms from exhibiting at a trade show taking place later this month near Paris, amid global outrage over Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Israel's offensive has killed at least 37,266 people in Gaza mostly civilians.