Israel lodged a formal protest with France today over remarks by French Foreign Minister Louis de Guiringaud implying that Israel was responsible for the fighting between Syrian and Lebanese Christian forces in Beirut.
The French diplomat was quoted as saying, at a Paris press conference this week, that the Israelis had encouraged the Christian militia to attack the Syrian-led Arab deterrent army in Beirut. He said that Christian leader Camille Chamoun “got very bad advice from a neighboring capital,” obviously meaning Israel.
Today, Yosef Ciechanover, Director General of the Foreign Ministry, summoned French Ambassador Marc Bonnefous to deliver Israel’s protest. He told the envoy that de Guiringaud had shown disregard for the latest developments in Lebanon.
Ciechanover said that Israel considered it a responsibility to extend humanitarian support to the beleaguered Christians in Lebanon. The support was “very limited indeed,” he said, adding that Israel was not ashamed of helping people who face annihilation and was, in fact, proud of it.
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