French policy toward the Palestinian conflict remains deeply rooted in the vision defined under the tenure of former President Charles de Gaulle (1959-69), the founder of the French Fifth Republic. Since 1967, the French vision is based on the following analysis: it is impossible to guarantee the security of Israel with a peace scenario that “ignores the existence and the rights of the Palestinian.” President Emmanuel Macron’s stance on the Gaza conflict is based on this historical legacy that is now presented under the banner of a “balanced policy” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the French debate. According to the French minister of foreign affairs, it is possible to be in solidarity with both the Israelis and the Palestinians.[1]This refusal to take sides in the conflict while being a force for dialogue as well as a potential diplomatic mediator in the conflict are the main drivers of French policy toward the Palestinian issue since October 7, 2023.
Nevertheless, despite this diplomatic position that clearly rejects an escalation of hostility, one must consider the pro-Israeli sentiment of the French right-wing and far-right political parties in the French political landscape since the end of the presidency of Jacques Chirac in 2007. This new right-wing French approach toward the conflict can best be explained by the internal dimension of the perception of the conflict and the perceived risk by the French political elite’s right-wing segment of an internal vulnerability or permeability of French society to turning pro-Palestinian. The internal sensitivity of the question is going beyond the traditional right/left divide. Indeed, in 2023, the political landscape is divided on the Israeli-Palestinian issue beyond the existence of traditional political preferences. For instance, the leftist political leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon is close to the former prime minister’s vision, Dominique de Villepin. These two political leaders appear pro-Palestinian whereas other political parties from the left and the right alike can be viewed as pro-Israeli.
Given these new divides in the French political landscape, President Macron is trying to build a foreign policy based on his presidential campaign slogan “at the same time.” It is a difficult task for French diplomats to implement a regional policy based on dialogue between opposing parties at a time of military confrontation. This ambition to build a balanced policy is the reason why President Macron eventually called for a ceasefire and an end to indiscriminate Israeli bombings and the creation of safe zones.
This position aims to reflect France’s autonomy in the international arena, with Paris attempting to present an original position on the issue. Paris’ objective is to promote an original French vision of regional stability considering Palestinian rights and a political project based on the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority. The French political elite fears that if President Macron does not try to position France at the heart of the Palestinian conflict for influence, the mediating role will be played by regional and international powers such as Türkiye, Qatar, China or even Russia. This French aim remains elusive given Paris’ official stance on the conflict and the difficulty to talk to all the parties involved. According to Paris, European financial support for Gaza’s reconstruction could be an asset for the potential emergence of Europe’s political role in resolving the conflict. Despite the French aim to develop an original position and even to offer its diplomatic services for the cause of peace, it is clear that France remains a complementary player alongside the Biden administration. This diplomatic marginalization of France remains a problem given the risk of a rise in social tensions inside French society and the risk of an extension of the conflict that could have an impact on Europe’s security given its geographical proximity to the Middle East.
France is facing numerous challenges to emerging as a diplomatic mediator in the context of the war in Gaza. The marginalization of European diplomacy is not new. It has been the case since the end of the 1980s and the rise of US diplomatic influence during the so-called peace-process of the 1990s. Since then, European states in general and France in particular are not at the center of the diplomatic game in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this context, it remains to be seen if Paris can offer a meaningful contribution to the mitigation of the conflict. The only contribution that is now expected for France and European states is to provide humanitarian support and to prepare for the economic reconstruction of Gaza in a post-war context. This economic challenge will remain at the center of France’s diplomatic agenda and represents a long-term commitment. Despite this economic role, it is unlikely that European states in general and France in particular will play a significant political role in the management of the conflict in the coming months.
Opinions in this article reflect the writer’s point of view, not necessarily the view of Rasanah
