Already strained by over two years of regional conflict, Israel’s ties with France have sunk to new depths in recent weeks over the fighting in Iran and Lebanon, fraying the countries’ once-robust defense and diplomatic relationships.

In the weeks leading up to the fragile April 8 ceasefire halting the war in Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron openly condemned the scale of the US-Israeli campaign against the Islamic Republic, urging a diplomatic solution to the conflict and a halt to fighting in Lebanon against the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group.

Israel and the US claimed that France refused both countries the use of its airspace for military purposes during the war.

Israel has reacted forcefully to France’s opposition, including a decision last month to halt all defense procurement from the country. The Defense Ministry said the move was in response to “an ongoing pattern” of French measures that have “harmed Israel’s security,” a criticism rejected by Paris.

And despite French interest in mediating the newly launched direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, Israeli officials stressed to The Times of Israel that the French are uninvolved, with one deeming Paris “irrelevant” to the negotiations.

Israel’s ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, who represented Israel at the negotiations in Washington, put it more bluntly, telling reporters after Tuesday’s talks, “We’d like to keep the French as far away as possible from pretty much everything, but particularly when it comes to peace negotiations.”

The two countries are still talking to each other at the military and diplomatic levels, according to a French official.

But the Defense Ministry decision “is a clear sign that the bilateral relations are not good,” the official said. And while Paris downplayed the Lebanon snub, Jerusalem’s posture on the matter underlines the degree to which Israel no longer sees France as a critical multilateral partner.

Both Israeli and French officials declined to speak about the relationship on the record, but offered comment on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject matter.

Spokespeople for Israel’s Foreign Ministry also refused to comment on the state of relations with France and Israel’s ambassador in Paris was not given permission to be interviewed on the subject.

France’s exclusion from the Israel-Lebanon talks is notable given its longstanding ties to Lebanon, dating back to the French mandate following World War I.

Paris helped broker the indirect talks that led to the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, and was given a seat alongside the US on the mechanism overseeing its implementation.

French absence is not for lack of interest. Macron offered last month for Paris to host direct talks........

© The Times of Israel