French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country has decided “not to join” the coalition led by the United States in launching strikes against the “Houthis” in Yemen to “avoid escalation” in the region, while renewing calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Over the last weekend, the United States and the United Kingdom carried out strikes on positions of the Ansar Allah group (Houthis) in Yemen, in an effort to put an end to the group’s attacks “in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.”
Macron, during a press conference on Tuesday, said, “France has decided not to join the coalition that led preemptive strikes against the Houthis on their territory. Why? Because our position precisely seeks to avoid any escalation,” emphasizing that the issue is not “military” but “diplomatic.”
The United States had earlier announced the formation of a multinational coalition in an operation called “Guardian of Prosperity.” The Houthi group responded by saying that this coalition would not stop their operations in the Red Sea, which they claim are aimed to support the Palestinian people against Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis launched attacks against ships they said were linked to Israel before expanding their operations in the Red Sea (Reuters).
The War on Gaza
Furthermore, Macron warned that Israel’s continued launch of “inaccurate enough” military operations in the Gaza Strip poses a “risk to its long-term security,” according to his words.
He added, “We will continue diplomatic initiatives and decisions and discussions to call for a ceasefire, and I will continue bilateral communications in an attempt to reach it concretely.”
Macron announced that “honorary” ceremonies for those he described as victims of the “Hamas” attack on Israel will take place on February 7th. He did not mention over 24,000 Palestinian victims who have fallen due to the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The French President stated, “On February 7th, at the victims of terrorism monument” in Paris “I will honor these victims alongside their relatives and families and all who want to join us.”
Macron recalled that his country “lost 41 of its children” in these attacks and that three French nationals are still being held “hostages” in the Gaza Strip.
Macron stressed the efforts with the Israeli authorities and “with Qatar, which plays a crucial role in this regard,” as well as with many other partners, to secure their release.
Since October 7th, the Israeli military has launched a devastating war on Gaza, which has to date resulted in 24,285 martyrs and 61,154 injured, and caused the displacement of more than 85% (approximately 1.9 million people) of the Strip’s population. This has also led to significant destruction in infrastructure, vital facilities, and hospitals.
