France opposes any annexation in West Bank, Gaza

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine stated on Thursday that France opposes any form of annexation in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

Speaking at the ministry’s weekly press briefing, Lemoine responded to journalists' questions on current issues.

He noted that two French citizens, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, have been detained in Iran for over 1,000 days.

In this context, he said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot would file a complaint against Iran at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for failing to fulfill its obligations under the 1963 Vienna Convention.

Condemning the resumption of Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza, Lemoine said: "The breakdown of the ceasefire is a dramatic setback. As the minister (Barrot) also reminded the National Assembly, we oppose any annexation, whether in the West Bank or Gaza."

Emphasizing the importance of resuming negotiations in the region, Lemoine pointed out that the death toll has reached catastrophic levels.

He stated that UN civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip has been targeted.

"This is unacceptable. Humanitarian aid workers must never be targeted under any circumstances."

The spokesperson also noted that Minister Barrot, during his meeting in Paris this morning with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, stressed that Israel must fulfill its obligations under the ceasefire agreement signed on Jan. 19, just as Hamas is required to do.

Highlighting the importance of a two-state solution, Lemoine remarked that Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem constituted a violation of the historical status quo of the holy sites.