Tensions between France and Israel escalated on Friday after a dramatic incident involving the Eleona sanctuary, a holy site in Jerusalem owned by France. Israeli police, armed and without prior French authorization, stormed the church and briefly arrested two French gendarmes, prompting France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot to cancel his planned visit and summon Israel’s ambassador for an urgent briefing.
The incident, the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the Eleona sanctuary, marks a new low in Franco-Israeli relations already strained over the ongoing Gaza conflict. Both gendarmes were escorted to police cars parked outside the church before being released, but no explanation for the arrests or the police intrusion into the French-administered site has been provided by Israeli authorities.
Barrot, visibly angered by the incident, condemned the Israeli action at the scene, calling it “unacceptable.” He declared, “I will not enter the Eleona domain today, because Israeli security forces entered with weapons, without prior French authorisation, without agreeing to leave today.” He further emphasized that the violation of the site’s integrity could undermine efforts to build peace in the region.
The Eleona, a Benedictine monastery on the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem, is believed to be associated with the Pater cave, where Christ is said to have taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer. The site, along with three others, forms the French national domain in the Holy Land, which was attributed to France before the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. These sites are now privately owned and administered by the French consulate in Jerusalem.
This incident highlights the ongoing dispute over the ownership and administration of holy sites in Jerusalem. France has repeatedly asserted its rights over its national domain, emphasizing its responsibility for its security and maintenance.
The Eleona incident follows a pattern of similar diplomatic flare-ups between France and Israel. In January 2020, French President Emmanuel Macron publicly reprimanded an Israeli police officer who was harassing people near the Sainte-Anne basilica. Back in 1996, then-French President Jacques Chirac famously told Israeli soldiers surrounding him, “Do you want me to go back to my plane?” demanding that they leave the Sainte-Anne site.
The latest incident underscores the fragility of the peace process in the region and raises serious questions about the future of Franco-Israeli relations. It remains to be seen how both countries will address this diplomatic crisis and what measures will be taken to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
