FRANCE, BRITAIN AND CANADA, ONCE AMONG ISRAEL'S CLOSEST ALLIES, HAVE MADE A U-TURN AND ARE NOW ALLIES OF HAMAS

France, Great Britain, and Canada threaten Israel with sanctions

The governments of the three countries demand Israel halt military action in Gaza; Netanyahu reacts sharply: “Invitation to further atrocities.”

 

Israel Today

May 20, 2025

 

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer

 

International pressure on Israel is growing. In a joint statement, France, Great Britain, and Canada warned that they could take “concrete measures” against Israel if the fighting in the Gaza Strip is not immediately halted and humanitarian aid is not improved. In other words: Sanctions against Israel are suddenly no longer taboo.

The three Western states criticized Israeli military operations as “disproportionate” and spoke of “unbearable human suffering” in Gaza. At the same time, they condemned the expansion of Jewish settlements in the so-called “West Bank” – an issue that is only indirectly related to the war against Hamas in Gaza, but is being deliberately linked by these nations. The aim is to exert political pressure on the Israeli government.

Israel has recently allowed limited aid shipments into the Gaza Strip for the first time in eleven weeks. Boxes of flour, baby formula, and medicine passed through the Kerem Shalom border crossing. But according to the United Nations, the quantity is insufficient. Aid organizations are talking about impending famine.

Netanyahu: “A huge prize for October 7”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a crystal-clear response to the threats from Europe:

Netanyahu stressed that Israel will not compromise as long as Hamas exists. For Israelis, the war can only end with the elimination of the Hamas threat, be that by surrender or military destruction.

Political front against Israel

The declaration from Paris, London, and Ottawa joins a growing international front against Israel. More and more states are calling for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the recognition of a Palestinian state. In doing so, they openly oppose the Israeli government’s line.

While the war against Hamas continues militarily, a second war has long been raging in the background: the war for international legitimacy. And this war is increasingly being waged by those who were once among Israel’s closest allies.