A group of 18 US Congressmen wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday urging him to reverse his decision to impose an arms embargo on Israel, Jewish Insider reported.
"Your comments to halt arms and weapons deliveries to Israel will further embolden Iran and its proxies to escalate their attacks against Israel, undermining the State's right to defend herself and her citizens," the lawmakers, who hail from both the Republican and Democratic parties, wrote.
"Now, more than ever, Israel needs strong allies reinforcing their commitment to her security, not adopting policies that embolden those seeking her destruction," they added.
The Congressmen reminded Macron that 48 French citizens were murdered by Hamas and two are still held hostage in Gaza.
The letter was initiated by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) and co-signed by Reps. Haley Stevens (D-MI), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Darren Soto (D-FL), Don Davis (D-NC), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Brandon Williams (R-NY), Kathy Manning (D-NC), Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Mike Turner (R-OH) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).
The French President has been extremely critical in recent months of Israel's attempts to defend itself from the Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations which seek to destroy the Jewish State.
In August, Macron told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "avoid a cycle of reprisals" in the Middle East in a conversation which took place following the eliminations of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut.
Previously, Macron spoke to Netanyahu and urged him to prevent a "conflagration" between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon despite Hezbollah's near-daily rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel since October 8, 2023.
In late September, Macron called on the United States to pressure Israel to accept the plan that he and US President Joe Biden proposed for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon.
In early August, Macron twice called for an arms embargo against Israel to stop the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah, saying that "stopping the export of weapons" used by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon was the only way to end fighting there.
"We all know it. It's the unique lever that would end it," Macron said at a summit of European and Mediterranean leaders in Cyprus, as quoted by the AFP news agency.
Macron also claimed that Israel was “deliberately targeting” UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon and said this was "absolutely unacceptable".
Netanyahu blasted Macron for his comments and calls for an arms embargo against Israel, saying, "As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilized countries should be standing firmly by Israel’s side. Yet President Macron and other western leaders are now calling for arms embargoes against Israel."
"Shame on them. Is Iran imposing an arms embargo on Hezbollah, on the Houthis, on Hamas and on its other proxies? Of course not. This axis of terror stands together. But countries who supposedly oppose this terror axis call for an arms embargo on Israel. What a disgrace!" he added.
He promised, "Israel will win with or without their support. But their shame will continue long after the war is won."