France slams Israel after gendarmes detained in occupied East Jerusalem
Al Jazeera
Officers freed after brief detention during visit by France’s top diplomat, with both sides trading blame over incident.
France has accused Israel of harming bilateral ties after Israeli forces entered a holy site under French administration in occupied East Jerusalem and briefly detained two gendarmes with diplomatic status.
The incident took place on Thursday as French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot was due to visit the compound of the Church of the Pater Noster on the Mount of Olives. The site, one of four administered by France in Jerusalem, is under Paris’s responsibility and deemed part of France.
French diplomatic sources told the Reuters news agency that Israeli security had been told not to enter before Barrot’s visit.
Barrot refused to enter the compound, called Eleona in French, while they were present.
Two French security officials were then briefly detained, the sources said, adding that the Israelis were aware the two were from the consulate and had diplomatic status.
