Macron said in his television speech on the night of 12 October that “this is an earthquake for Israel, for the Middle East and beyond.” It calls for unity among the French: “With illusions and calculations we do not add internal fractures to international fractures. The Union’s secrecy protects us from hatred and abuse.”

According to data from the French president during the intervention, thirteen French people died in Hamas attack and seventeen are missing, including children. Macron points out that the missing may be in the hands of Hamas in Gaza. With regard to the disappeared, he says: “France is doing everything possible with the Israeli authorities and our partners to bring us home well, because France never leaves children.” He adds that Israel has the right to destroy Hamas, but that the "civil people must be protected".

Prohibited protests

Demonstrations in favour of Palestine throughout France have been banned. On 12 October, at a demonstration in Paris, they use weeping gas and water guns. Opponents of the ban note that the order of prohibition is an attack on civil liberties.

The images offered by the information agency Reuters show the statements of a demonstrator and so says: “We live in a country of civil rights, we have the right to express our opinion. Prohibition on one side and authorisation on the other. That does not reflect the Palestinian reality.”

The Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, explained that since Saturday 24 people have been arrested in France for anti-Semitic actions, and added that any foreign citizen carrying out such actions must be dismissed from France before it is late.

Macron says he has taken the measure of the ban so that Jewish places, schools and synagogues can count on police support. He adds that “cruelties” cannot be justified.

The Aljazeera media explains that no cuts have been announced for organising events for Israel.

France has the largest Muslim and Jewish communities in Europe.