The European Union, several major European capitals and Ukraine “strongly condemned” this Saturday, October 7, the attacks carried out overnight by Hamas and expressed their support for Israel, with Russia for its part calling for “restraint.” Here are the main international and French reactions.
European Union
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen condemned “unequivocally” attacks amounting to “terrorism in its most despicable form”, and considered that Israel had “the right to defend itself”. “We are following the news from Israel with anxiety (…) This horrible violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing,” stressed the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell. “The EU expresses its solidarity with Israel in these difficult times,” he added.
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also denounced these “indiscriminate attacks launched against Israel and its people this morning, inflicting terror and violence on innocent citizens”.
Russia
Moscow is calling for “restraint” after these attacks, a senior Russian diplomat said. “We are in contact with everyone now. With the Israelis, the Palestinians and the Arabs,” said Mikhail Bogdanov, Russian deputy foreign minister and Kremlin envoy for the Middle East and Africa, quoted by the Interfax agency.
Ukraine
kyiv “strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv,” Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said. Ukraine expresses its “support for Israel in its right to defend itself and its people”.
France
The Foreign Ministry condemned “in the strongest possible terms the Hamas terrorist attacks”. In the Macronist majority, the Minister of Solidarity Aurore Bergé expressed all her “support for the Israeli people who are experiencing terrorist attacks of incredible violence”.
Beyond the government, many French political leaders, on the right, in the majority, among socialists and ecologists, expressed their support for Israel and condemnation of the attack launched by Palestinian Hamas from the Gaza Strip followed of an air response by the Jewish state.
“Total support for Israel, heavily attacked by Hamas. 5,000 rockets sent from Gaza and dozens of terrorists infiltrated into the country to sow chaos. France’s duty is to be more strongly alongside the Hebrew State, only democracy in the Middle East”, Eric Ciotti, president of the Les Républicains party, also said on X.
On the left, the first secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, estimated that “terrorism is not justice”. “He discredits the causes he claims to serve. Total condemnation of the attack launched this (Saturday) morning by Hamas,” he added, while the socialist mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo expressed her “total support ” to the Israelis. “Israel is the subject of an intolerable attack. Civilians are being targeted, it is unacceptable,” denounced environmentalist MP Sandrine Rousseau.
United Kingdom
London condemns “unequivocally the horrible attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians”, reacted Foreign Minister James Cleverly. London “will always support Israel’s right to defend itself,” he added.
Germany
Berlin “strongly condemns the terrorist attacks coming from Gaza against Israel,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Israel “has our full solidarity” and “the right, guaranteed by international law, to defend itself against terrorism,” she added. Hamas “contributes to the intensification of violence”, she said.
Italy
Rome “supports Israel’s right to defend itself” against “the brutal attack taking place in Israel,” the government said.