The leader of rebellious France Jean-Luc Mélenchon called on Thursday during a meeting in Rennes for the establishment of “economic sanctions” against the Israeli government, like those which have hit Russia since its invasion of Ukraine. “All war crimes must be punished, whoever commits them,” he declared, denouncing “the massacres taking place in Gaza.” In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, “France must defend at all costs principles which are not variable,” he said, urging “respect for international law”.
“Is this what was done against Russia?”
“It seems that economic sanctions bring the violent to reason, is that what was done against Russia? So we must ask for economic sanctions against the government of the State of Israel,” advocated Jean- Luc Mélenchon. “These would not be sanctions against the Israelis but against the government which is leading them to this massacre,” he said, triggering loud applause in a packed room. Some 600 people were present, and several hundred others had to stay to follow the speech outside, in a city where the LFI leader had obtained more than 36% of the votes in the first round of the presidential election, ahead of all the other candidates, including Emmanuel Macron.
During this meeting-conference, Jean-Luc Mélenchon also denounced the “relentlessness” and the death threats of which he said he was the victim for his positions in favor of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. “My name has been thrown out into the open with the worst adjectives that follow, everything and anything has been said about me,” he was indignant. Jean-Luc Mélenchon also returned Thursday evening to the rejection of the examination of the immigration bill in the National Assembly. “I read that we had united our voices with those of LR and the National Rally (…) We voted on a motion presented by one of the Nupes groups, on a text from a left-wing group, and we We won. We are not united with anyone!”, he said.
For him, France “cannot do without the contribution of immigrant workers because they are the ones who keep the funds afloat (retirement, unemployment, editor’s note) in which they participate, including when they do not have papers.” And the rebellious tribune once again unleashed the room by calling to “give papers to all workers, and not only in professions in tension.”