Fallout Looms as Western Allies Divide Over Israel

Uncertainty grows over Israel's place and position in the world

During a radio interview on October 5th, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, made an unexpected statement. While discussing the situation in the Middle East, Macron called for an arms embargo against Israel. In Macron’s mind, stopping weapons deliveries would force Tel Aviv to the negotiating table. Within hours, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, posted a video on X taking aim at Macron and calling his idea “a disgrace.”

Two days later, on the one-year anniversary of October 7th, Lindsay Graham, the US senator, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Netanyahu in Israel, called out the French proposal on camera, saying it was “ass backward,” a sign that Macron was having an impact even on US politicians.