Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar today (Thursday, 4 September 2025) held a phone call with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
During the conversation, FM Sa’ar called on his counterpart to reconsider the French initiative to recognize a “Palestinian state.” FM Sa’ar said that the French initiative undermines stability in the Middle East and harms Israel‘s national and security interests. Regarding the possibility of President Macron’s visit to Israel, FM Sa’ar told his counterpart that as long as France persists in its initiative and efforts that harm Israel‘s interests, there is no room for it.
FM Sa’ar also said that commitments, such as Mahmoud Abbas’ letter to President Macron, cannot be trusted, and said that he is not a reliable partner for dialogue. FM Sa’ar added that Abbas enjoys scant support among the Palestinian public, and it is not for nothing that he has not held elections in the Palestinian Authority for about twenty years.
FM Sa’ar made it clear that Israel strives for good relations with France, but France must respect the Israeli position when it comes to issues essential to its security and future. Recently, France has taken a series of anti-Israeli steps and positions.
The two also discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip, the “Snapback” process against Iran, the situation in Lebanon, and the war in Ukraine.