France's Macron summons party heads amid political rift over Middle East

French political leaders were to meet with President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday for closed-door talks to flesh out divisions raised by the violence between Israel and militants in Gaza. The far-left France Unbowed party has refused to denounce the Hamas group as terrorists. 

A protestor lights flares during a rally called by the group^Collectif 69 in support of Palestinians in Lyon, southeastern France on October 11, 2023. AFP - OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE

The talks between party chiefs and the presidents of the two houses of parliament at the Elysée come ahead of a televised speech Thursday night in which Macron is to address the "terrorist acts committed in Israel".

The head of state was in Hamburg for two days of Franco-German meetings with Chancellor Olaf Scholz earlier this week during which both leaders voiced their support to the Israeli government.

Eleven French nationals were killed in Saturday's violence and a further 18 people remain missing, including several children. The French government has warned the death toll was likely to rise.

“I want to have a special word for our deceased nationals and the 18 of whom we have no news,” Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said. “We are in constant contact with the families.”

A chartered Air France flight was due to arrive in Tel Aviv on Thursday to repatriate French nationals who have been unable to leave.

• French police clamp down on perpetrators of 'antisemitic acts'

Emotions high

The events in the Middle East have provoked a strong emotion in France, home to Europe's largest Jewish and Muslim communities.

Past wars in Gaza have triggered mass protests in France, mostly in solidarity with Palestinians.

Police have arrested more than 20 people in relation to more than a hundred "antisemitic acts" reported since Saturday’s attack by Hamas.

The stance of France's biggest left-wing party France Unbowed over the assault on Israel has seen its veteran leader Jean-Luc Melenchon come under fire from all sides, and created a major rift on the left.

Melenchon accused the French Jewish representative body CRIF of trying to silence calls for peace in the Middle East by organising an Israel solidarity march in Paris, which France Unbowed was the only major party to boycott.

(with newswires)