Israel founded by Holocaust survivors, not by UN decision Netanyahu tells Macron

On October 16, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back against comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the United Nations' role in the establishment of Israel.

Netanyahu asserted that Israel was founded by Holocaust survivors, some of whom were associated with the collaborationist Vichy regime in France during World War II, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Macron had previously remarked that Netanyahu should not "ignore United Nations decisions" during a closed-door meeting with his French ministers.

"Mr. Netanyahu must not forget that his country was created by a UN decision," he stated, referencing the UN General Assembly's vote in November 1947 that ended the British mandate in Palestine and partitioned the territory into Jewish and Arab states.

Notably, the exchange comes amid rising tensions between Macron and Netanyahu as Israel continues its military operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, a nation with longstanding ties to France. This escalation is particularly notable following recent Israeli strikes that have targeted UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

In his rebuttal, Netanyahu stated, "A reminder to the president of France: It was not the UN resolution that established the State of Israel, but rather the victory achieved in the War of Independence with the blood of heroic fighters, many of whom were Holocaust survivors — including from the Vichy regime in France."

The Vichy regime was notorious for its collaboration with Adolf Hitler’s occupation forces during World War II, having facilitated the deportation of 76,000 Jews from France to concentration camps.

Further complicating matters, Macron had also called for a halt to arms deliveries to Israel in a recent radio interview, prompting Netanyahu to express his discontent, declaring, "Shame on the French president."

Last month, France attempted to mediate a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, an effort that ultimately collapsed when Netanyahu ordered strikes on the group's headquarters, resulting in the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

By Aghakazim Guliyev