French President Emmanuel Macron “strongly condemned the shooting claimed by Hamas and other terrorist groups” who put “in serious danger the population of Tel Aviv and harm the security of the State of Israel”, the Elysee palace said  in a press release.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has asked the prefects to ban all pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including the one scheduled for Saturday in Paris.

“I have asked the Prefect of Police to ban Saturday’s demonstrations in connection with the recent tensions in the Middle East,” the minister tweeted.

Elsewhere in France, “instructions have been given to the prefects to be particularly vigilant and firm”, wrote Darmanin. “Serious disturbances to public order were noted in 2014,” he added.

The minister also called on prefects to ensure the “protection of places of worship, schools, cultural centres and businesses of the Jewish community.’’

The order comes a day after the president of a pro-Palestinian association was arrested for several hours for a banned rally.

The Paris  prefecture followed the minister’s request and decided to ban the demonstration in support of the Palestinian people planned for Saturday at 3pm in Barbès, in the 18th arrondissement of Paris.

In July 2014, several demonstrations were organised in France to denounce the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. On 19 July in particular, several thousand demonstrators had defied the ban on demonstrations in Barbès. The rally quickly degenerated, giving way to hours of urban rioting.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke with the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas and was also due to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “strongly condemned the shooting claimed by Hamas and other terrorist groups” who put “in serious danger the population of Tel Aviv” and harm the security of the State of Israel”, the Elysee palace said  in a press release.

“Concerned by the escalation of violence in the Middle East, the President of the Republic is determined to work with all parties to put an end to it as soon as possible. The return to calm and peace are our priorities,” the Elysee statement said.

He ‘’will also be in contact with France’s main partners in the Middle East”, including Egyptian President Abdelfattah Sissi, “to whose mediation he gives his full support”, the statement added.