France has accused Israel of harming bilateral ties after Israeli forces entered a holy site under French administration in occupied East Jerusalem and briefly detained two gendarmes with diplomatic status.
The incident took place on Thursday as French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot was due to visit the compound of the Church of the Pater Noster on the Mount of Olives. The site, one of four administered by France in Jerusalem, is under Paris’s responsibility and deemed part of France.
French diplomatic sources told the Reuters news agency that Israeli security had been told not to enter before Barrot’s visit.
Barrot refused to enter the compound, called Eleona in French, while they were present.
Two French security officials were then briefly detained, the sources said, adding that the Israelis were aware the two were from the consulate and had diplomatic status.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained that the security protocol for the visit had been “clarified” in advance, and the police said the French gendarmes had not identified themselves and had obstructed their work.
The ministry said in a statement that an argument ensued between Israeli forces and the two French security guards. They were released immediately after they identified themselves as diplomats, it said.
The AFP news agency reported that Israeli police surrounded the two French gendarmes, who were not in uniform, before pushing one of them to the ground.
The gendarme identified himself and shouted, “Don’t touch me!” several times, according to AFP. Both gendarmes were then led into police cars.
Source: Al Jazeera
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
