He compared this situation with that of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas. “If they had been offered the possibility of returning to their country, I assure you they would have done so. And we wouldn’t use the word hostage for them. I find it unacceptable for things to be instrumentalized in this way”.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou denounced the use of the term “hostages” to describe the crew members of the sailing boat Madleen, including Swedish activist Greta Thurnberg and MEP Rima Hassan, stopped at sea by Israeli marine forces on Monday while attempting to break the maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip.
He was responding to a question from a Communist Senator Jean-Pierre Corbisez. . “Another crime committed by the Israeli occupier. What is France doing? When will the French hostages, including one of the Republic’s deputies, be freed?,” he asked.
Four of the 12 activists aboard the boat signed deportation orders from Israel, including Swedish activist Greta Thurnberg, while eight refused, including French Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan.
Bayrou replied on behalf of Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. “I find it unacceptable that a certain number of political forces use the word hostage for the 3 or 4 people held in Israel”, he said, pointing out that the 6 French activists “were offered the choice of returning to their country just now, and a certain number of them refused”.
He compared this situation with that of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas. “If they had been offered the possibility of returning to their country, I assure you they would have done so. And we wouldn’t use the word hostage for them. I find it unacceptable for things to be instrumentalized in this way”.
He added, “What is happening today in Gaza is unacceptable, intolerable and a source of suffering, including for those who have always defended Israel’s existence”, said Bayrou, adding that “France is one of the first States to have denounced this situation and to be working today for an effective response that will enable us to move towards a two-State solution”.