French Foreign Minister Blasts Israel: “Women and Children Bombed While Seeking Food”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot delivered a scathing rebuke of Israel on Monday at the opening of an international summit in New York, co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and under the auspices of the United Nations. The summit's stated goal: to forge a “political path” for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and establishing a Palestinian state — a vision France has forcefully endorsed.

Barrot began his speech by reaffirming France’s unwavering support for a two-state solution, calling it “the only viable political alternative.” He declared that the current summit marked “a decisive and irreversible moment” in laying the groundwork for a comprehensive diplomatic accord to end the fighting in Gaza and secure lasting peace and security for both peoples.

“We are launching this summit together with our Saudi partners,” Barrot said, “to establish a practical political framework for implementing the two-state solution.”

In a sharply worded critique, Barrot accused Israel of targeting civilians who were lining up for food aid.

“Eighty years after the founding of the United Nations, we cannot accept a situation in which civilians — women and children — become targets for bombardment simply for standing in line for food. It is unacceptable.”

Barrot emphasized that the presence of numerous international delegates at the summit signals a growing consensus and international willingness to end the war in Gaza. According to him, the world must now shift from calls for temporary ceasefires toward a lasting political resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Only a political solution based on two states can fulfill the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security,” he said. “There is no alternative.”

He also warned that the very viability of a future Palestinian state is in jeopardy due to what he described as “accelerating occupation and annexation” in the West Bank. Concrete steps, he insisted, must be taken to preserve the feasibility of a sovereign and contiguous Palestinian state.

Eight international working groups were established during the summit to address the conflict’s various dimensions — political, security, economic, and humanitarian. Barrot described these groups as the “engine” of the diplomatic initiative. They have collaborated with UN member states, NGOs, and civil society groups to produce actionable policy recommendations for advancing the two-state framework.

France, he said, has played a central role in revitalizing the peace process. As part of the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a personal letter from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. In it, Abbas pledged to hold elections within a year, implement reforms to reduce extremism in Palestinian society, and establish a demilitarized Palestinian state.

Barrot also referenced a recent civil society conference in Paris, held on June 13, in which Israeli and Palestinian participants discussed practical steps to end the ongoing war and build a stable political future.

Concluding his address, Barrot issued an urgent call for an immediate ceasefire.

“This war has gone on for far too long. It is time to silence the weapons and replace fire with words. All hostages taken during the October 7 terrorist attack must be released immediately, unconditionally, and with dignity,” he said. “The nightmare that Gaza’s civilians are enduring must come to an end.”

Addressing the summit’s working groups directly, Barrot concluded: “I call on you to transform your conclusions into a political compass that will guide the international community toward a lasting solution. This is our mission — and our historic responsibility.”

As reported earlier, Israel’s ambassador to the UN sharply criticized the Franco-Saudi initiative, calling it detached from reality.

“This summit doesn’t promote peace — it fuels delusion,” said the ambassador. “Instead of demanding the release of the hostages and dismantling Hamas’ rule of terror, the summit organizers are engaging in diplomatic theater.”