Marine Le Pen on Gaza Conflict
Marine Le Pen's position on the Gaza conflict has been characterized by firm support for Israel in the wake of the Hamas attacks that began on October 7, 2023. She condemned the actions by the Hamas terrorist group as an "unacceptable act of war" and stressed that the security of the Israeli people is non-negotiable. Le Pen views this stance as part of a broader effort to position her National Rally (RN) party as a defender against radical Islamism, a theme that also involves promising to protect French Jews.
This positioning marks a radical break from the historical rhetoric of the National Front, which was often critical of Israeli military actions. Le Pen's current platform aligns her and the RN with a clear pro-Israel stance, differing sharply from some other French political factions. This shift is perceived by some commentators as a calculated move to normalize her party ahead of future elections and target new segments of the electorate.
Furthermore, Marine Le Pen strongly criticized President Emmanuel Macron's decision to recognize a Palestinian state, labeling it a political and moral mistake. She argued that such a recognition at this time would effectively be legitimizing Hamas, which she explicitly calls a terrorist state. This opposition to Macron's policy further solidifies her alignment with Israeli security concerns in the context of the Gaza war.
Context
Marine Le Pen, as the leader of the National Rally (RN) and a leading figure in French politics, has significant weight in discussions of foreign policy and national security. Her current strong alignment with Israel is contextualized by her party's long-running strategy of "de-demonisation" to move away from the antisemitic past associated with her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen. This move is strategically timed as she prepares for a potential 2027 presidential bid, seeking to reassure French Jewish voters and present the RN as a bulwark against Islamism.
Timeline
- Following the October 7 attacks, Marine Le Pen and her party firmly supported Israel's right to self-defense.
- Le Pen attended a pro-Israeli protest in Paris, emphasizing a shared enemy with Israel in radical Islamism.
- Le Pen vehemently condemned President Macron's decision to recognize a Palestinian state, viewing it as legitimizing Hamas.
Key Quotes
Terrorism cannot be tolerated and the security of the Israeli people is non-negotiable. The strikes by the Hamas terrorist group against Israeli territory are an unacceptable act of war that pushes any hope of peace further and further away every day. In these difficult times, we stand more than ever alongside Israeli democracy.
To recognize a Palestinian state today is to recognize a Hamas state, and therefore a terrorist state.
There is, in this gesture, no fidelity to the history of France—quite the opposite—and even less a guarantee of peace for Israel.
Sources5
She has supported Israel during the Gaza war.
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.