No plan yet for sanctions on Israel to get aid into Gaza: French minister

France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday there was no immediate plan to impose sanctions on Israel to force it to allow more humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, toning down his stance after tougher remarks made earlier this week.

“There is no plan at this stage for general sanctions against Israel,” Stephane Sejourne told lawmakers in the National Assembly.

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France recently imposed sanctions against some individuals who it says are linked to excessive violence by settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and it will “continue to do so,” Sejourne said.

His comments came a day after the minister in an interview said sanctions could be an option to exert pressure on Israel’s government, earning both praise and outrage as the Gaza war divides public opinion in France, home to both large Muslim and Jewish minorities.

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In the interview with RFI radio and France 24, Sejourne said: “There must be levers of influence and there are multiple levers, going up to sanctions to let humanitarian aid cross checkpoints.”

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