French president calls for punishing Jewish settlers threatening peace in West Bank

By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) - It is time to work on a cease-fire in Gaza, and punish illegal Jewish settlers who threaten peace in the West Bank, the French president said on Thursday.

Speaking at a military base where French soldiers are stationed in Jordan, Emmanuel Macron told reporters that the stability of the region is “under threat.”

"I do not forget the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza,” Macron said, emphasizing that a cease-fire in the besieged enclave should be worked to reopen a “political horizon.”

Stressing that it is time to punish the Jewish settlers who threaten peace in the West Bank, he said his country is trying to prevent the conflict in the region from spreading further.

He said "every innocent life stolen is a donation to the fanaticism of today and tomorrow."

"The Houthis' threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea are unacceptable," he said, referring to the group's attacks on commercial vessels it says are linked to Israel, adding that there are French soldiers in many countries in the region.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, killing nearly 20,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring more than 52,000 others, according to health authorities in the enclave.

There has also been widespread destruction of homes and other infrastructure, besides a shortage of food, water and medicines.

Israel says 1,200 people were killed in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.​​​​​​​

*Writing by Gozde Bayar