Macron told Netanyahu he must not forget Israel was created by UN decision

(Patria) - Referring to the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in November 1947 on the plan to partition Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab state, Macron warned the Israeli Prime Minister not to forget that "his country was created by a UN decision", AFP reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not forget that his country was created as a result of a resolution adopted by the United Nations, French President Emmanuel Macron told his cabinet on Tuesday, urging Israel to abide by UN decisions.

Tensions have risen between Netanyahu and Macron, with the French leader insisting last week that stopping arms exports that Israel uses in Gaza and Lebanon is the only way to stop the conflicts.

France has also repeatedly condemned Israeli fire on UN peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon, including a French contingent.

"Mr. Netanyahu must not forget that his country was created by a UN decision," Macron said at a weekly meeting of the French government, referring to the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in November 1947 on the plan to partition Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab state.

"Therefore, it is not the time to disregard UN decisions," he added, as Israel conducts a ground offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where UN forces are deployed.

His comments from a closed-door meeting at the Élysée Palace were quoted by a participant who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.

UN Security Council Resolution 1701 states that only the Lebanese army and the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL should be deployed in southern Lebanon.

Netanyahu on Sunday called on the UN to move 10,000 peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, including 700 French soldiers, from the "path of harm", saying Hezbollah was using them as a "human shield".