Macron slams media, ministers for fuelling controversy over Israel comments

Emmanuel Macron lashed out at media, commentators and his own ministers.

A day after French President Emmanuel Macron accused ministers, journalists and commentators for distorting remarks he made on Israel being created by the UN, he faced accusations of trying to squash reporting to a mere reproduction of the presidential palace's press releases.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday faced accusations of seeking to reduce the media to merely reproducing press releases after blaming journalists, ministers and commentators for the furore over comments attributed to him on Israel.

A visibly furious Macron late Thursday began his press conference after an EU summit in Brussels with a tirade against those who he accused of distorting remarks made in a closed-door cabinet meeting and showing a "lack of professionalism" in their work.

His comments were quoted by two participants who spoke to AFP after the meeting and asked not to be named.

"Mr. Netanyahu must not forget that his country was created by a decision of the UN," Macron told ministers, referring to the resolution adopted in November 1947 by the United Nations General Assembly on the plan to partition Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state.

(AFP)


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