France rejected the invitation made by United States President Donald Trump to join the Peace Council for the Gaza Strip.
A source close to French President Emmanuel Macron told Le Monde newspaper this Monday (19) that the rejection occurs because the charter of the group, which will oversee the reconstruction of the enclave after more than two years of war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, “goes beyond the exclusive scope of Gaza”.
“It raises important questions, particularly with regard to respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which under no circumstances can be questioned,” the source added.
Shortly after Le Monde published the information, Pascal Confavreux, spokesman for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed to the American broadcaster CNN that the Macron administration will refuse the invitation.
“President Macron has, in fact, received an invitation, as have others. We have decided, so far, not to participate,” said Confavreux.
Earlier, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already raised questions about the council, citing France’s commitment to the UN: the Macron government understands that the group would be an attempt to create an alternative to the United Nations.
“It is [compromisso] continues to be the cornerstone of effective multilateralism, where international law, the sovereign equality of States and the peaceful resolution of disputes prevail over arbitrariness, power politics and war”, claimed the ministry in a statement.
Since Saturday (17), it was reported that Trump invited leaders from several countries, including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, to be part of the council.
The composition of the council intended by the US, with leaders of countries that condemned Israel’s operation against Hamas in Gaza, such as Lula himself and the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, generated criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
