Lecture by Jean-Yves Le Drian Former French Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs (2012-2022) at the Diplomatic Club in Tahrir

On May 7, 2024, at the invitation of the “Kemet Boutros Ghali” Foundation, Ambassador Dr. Ezzat Saad, ECFA Director, attended a lecture delivered by “Jean-Yves Le Drian”, former French Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs (2012-2022), at the Egyptian Diplomatic Club in Tahrir.

The former French Minister discussed the developments in the region in association with the Israeli massacres in Gaza and the regional and international repercussions thereof.

Following are the main points he addressed:

– He stated that Israel must immediately cease hostilities, allow the flow of humanitarian aid, and accept the two-state solution and begin implementing it in good faith.

– The Minister denounced the killings of unarmed civilians, calling for a more decisive international diplomatic position.

– Generally speaking, what the French Minister indicated reflects the European position regarding the current situation, with the exclusion of states that have taken clear positions in support of the Palestinian cause, such as Spain, Ireland and Belgium. In this context, the French minister did not refer to Israel’s racist practices in the West Bank and Gaza and all the crimes committed against the Palestinian people before October 7, and the impossibility of this situation remaining as it is indefinitely.

– Accordingly, the Minister stressed that Iran is the main source of violence and terrorism in the region.

– Le Drian criticized, albeit in a consistent manner, the previous American position, which believes that the Palestinian question can be resolved by implementing a reconstruction and economic development program, and ignoring the political horizon of the cause.

– The French guest also tackled a number of regional files, such as Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, the Renaissance Dam, and the issue of navigation security in the Red Sea, echoing the European positions in this regard.