French legislator Portes accuses France of complicity in Gaza ‘genocide’

Thomas Portes, an LFI legislator, ignites controversy by accusing France of complicity in conflict, focusing on France’s inaction toward specific individuals in the Israeli military

French opposition legislator Thomas Portes of the Defiant France Party (LFI) has sparked controversy with his recent accusations, asserting that France is complicit in what he describes as a genocide in Gaza.

In a strongly worded tweet, Portes expressed his outrage, focusing on the actions of individuals associated with the Israeli military and criticizing the French government’s perceived lack of response to these actions.

Portes’ tweet, translated to English, read: “‘Did you see his back? They tortured him. He wet himself. Son of a b***.’ How long will France close its eyes to Franco-Israelis who join the ranks of Tsahal criminals to eradicate the Palestinian people? France is an accomplice in genocide.”

The incident in question involves a video where a French-speaking person is seen insulting Palestinians. Anne Tuaillon, President of the France Palestine Solidarity Association (AFPS), also shared this video, describing her reaction. She highlighted the French Foreign Ministry’s silence on the matter.

Besides his original tweet, Portes retweeted a statement by Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian lawyer and LFI candidate.

“Israel is sick from its colonialism,” she asserted.

Another retweet from Portes cites a U.N. statement regarding Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza: “The extent of the restrictions Israel imposes on aid entering Gaza and its continued conduct of hostilities might equate to using famine as a method of war, which is a war crime.”

Christophe Lemoine, the spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry, addressed inquiries about the potential investigation of French-Israeli citizens’ actions in the Israeli army while speaking to Anadolu Agency.

On March 14, Lemoine clarified: “Dual citizenship implies dual loyalty, so we will not investigate the military obligations of French-Israeli citizens in Israel.”

However, he left the possibility of future legal actions open, noting: “If these crimes are committed and proven, we will respond in due time.”

These statements and retweets by Portes bring into sharp focus the complex and emotionally charged nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly regarding France’s role and the responsibilities of individuals in conflict zones.

https://twitter.com/Portes_Thomas/status/1769976965178519555

Source: Newsroom