JERUSALEM — On Thursday, armed police from Israel entered a church compound owned by France in Jerusalem, according to statements from the French foreign ministry. This incident led to the temporary detainment of two consulate workers and compelled France’s top diplomat to cancel a visit he had scheduled to the site.
The altercation has raised tensions between Israel and France, particularly following French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent call for an arms embargo against Israel, which was met with criticism from right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In response to the incident, the French Foreign Ministry announced plans to summon the Israeli ambassador to express their discontent. A statement from France conveyed strong disapproval, stating that Israeli security forces had invaded the Church of the Pater Noster’s courtyard, prompting French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot to abandon his visit.
The ministry reported that the Israeli police detained two French Consulate employees, despite their diplomatic credentials. They were only released after intervention from Barrot during his meeting with Israeli officials in Jerusalem, where he had also advocated for a cease-fire in Gaza and a diplomatic resolution in Lebanon, a region that was previously under French protection and was recently engaged in conflict involving the Hezbollah militant group.
“The actions taken today are completely unacceptable,” stated the French Foreign Ministry regarding the confrontation between their diplomatic staff and Israeli security. They emphasized that such actions are particularly intolerable as France strives to mitigate ongoing violence in the region.
Israeli authorities described the event as a misunderstanding, claiming that the two church workers who did not disclose their identities refused to allow entry to the Israeli security personnel accompanying Barrot. The police noted that the church employees were held for approximately 20 minutes before being released upon identification as consulate staff. They reiterated that all foreign ministers visiting Israel are assigned security for their official trips, and that arrangements for Barrot’s visit had been pre-coordinated with the French Embassy in Israel, urging against spreading misleading information about the incident.
The church that Barrot intended to visit was originally constructed by the Crusaders, who believed it was the site where Jesus delivered the Lord’s Prayer. This site, located on the Mount of Olives and overlooking Jerusalem’s Old City, also houses the remnants of the ancient Eleona Church and has been under the care of Carmelite nuns since 1874.
The recent incident echoes prior disputes between assertive Israeli security and frustrated French officials. Notably, in 2020, President Macron expressed his displeasure at Israeli security for trying to accompany him into another French church in Jerusalem. Similarly, in 1996, then-President Jacques Chirac accused Israeli forces of confronting his team, a scenario that even resulted in an apology from a young Netanyahu.
These confrontations hold particular weight in Jerusalem, a city marked by deep historical and territorial contention. Israel considers Jerusalem as its “unified, eternal” capital following its capture of East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War, along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Conversely, Palestinians aspire to utilize these territories for their future state, with East Jerusalem envisioned as its capital. The annexation of East Jerusalem by Israel has not garnered international recognition.
Since the Hamas attacks on October 7 last year, Macron has reiterated his support for Israel and its right to defend itself. However, tensions have surged recently as Macron has pressed Israel to take greater measures to protect civilian life amidst increasing casualties from military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
Barrot is scheduled to visit the Israeli-occupied West Bank next to hold discussions with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.