In a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed expanding the scope of the international coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria to include operations against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.
Macron, without providing specific details on the involvement of the U.S.-led coalition, which currently excludes Israel, emphasized the shared commitment of France and Israel in countering terrorism. “France is prepared to extend the international coalition against Daesh, in which we are actively participating in Iraq and Syria, to also confront Hamas,” Macron declared during the press briefing.
The French president cautioned against the potential escalation of a regional conflict and underscored the need for a relentless, yet regulated, approach in the fight against Hamas. “The battle against Hamas must be unyielding but conducted within established rules,” Macron added.
While Netanyahu refrained from directly addressing Macron’s proposal, he framed the struggle as a global endeavor against the “axis of evil” versus “the free world.” Netanyahu asserted, “This battle is not merely our own… it’s everybody’s battle.”
The call for an expanded coalition marks a significant development in the geopolitical landscape, as nations weigh the prospect of jointly confronting both ISIS and Hamas. The international community now awaits further details on the implementation of this proposed collaboration.
