In response to criticism from all sides against the reaction of the “rebels” after the Hamas attack against Israel, Mathilde Panot, the president of the LFI deputies, tried to respond, Tuesday, October 10, without convincing.

In front of the press, the head of the LFI deputies, refusing any mea culpa, affirmed that her party would not change its position “one iota” and did not wish to directly qualify Hamas as a “terrorist” organization, The opposite of the other left-wing parties: “It is the armed wing which is today responsible for war crimes,” she told the press. “We condemn all war crimes, which aim at terror, so we can call it terrorist,” she also declared.

Position criticized

Not enough for the PS deputy for Essonne, Jérôme Guedj, very critical of LFI since the weekend when he is usually one of the most ardent defenders of the union of the left. “By not naming Hamas as a terrorist group, but as an armed force that commits war crimes, LFI legitimizes Hamas and its modes of action,” Jérôme Guedj also reacted. “Unacceptable. Hamas is a terrorist organization. Not the regular army of Palestine”, reacted on the X network (formerly Twitter) the first secretary of the PS, Olivier Faure. “We unreservedly condemn the Hamas terrorist attack,” assured Boris Vallaud, the leader of the socialist deputies, adding that the alliance must “undeniably operate differently”.

In the process, PS deputies announced that they would suspend their participation in the preparation of a counter-budget from the left-wing Nupes alliance, on the sidelines of the 2024 budget, to mark their disagreement with LFI on Israel and Gaza.

Communist MP Elsa Faucillon also condemned Hamas: “If your question is: “Is Hamas a terrorist organization? Did she commit terrorist acts?” [The answer is yes” “.

During the question session to the government in the afternoon, the LR elected officials and some of those from the presidential majority left the Assembly chamber when Ms. Panot spoke.

Truncated declaration according to LFI

LFI deputies responded that the sequence in which Ms. Panot was questioned only showed part of her statements. “We condemn all war crimes, which aim at terror, so we can call it terrorist,” she also responded during this press conference.

In a tense exchange with a journalist who asked him if LFI had become the “useful idiot of Hamas”, using a phrase from Jérôme Guedj, and if anti-Semitism had “become a left-wing or at least LFI value” , Ms. Panot denounced an “insulting” question. “The little music that consists of saying that we are anti-Semitic is false, anti-Semitism is a poison that we are fighting,” she replied.

While the LFI group is criticized for its initial press release on Saturday comparing the Hamas attack and the policies of the Israeli government, its president responded: “Our press release corresponds to the historical position of France and is in no way infamous . It’s a statement for peace.” “It is obvious that the situation is evolving,” she stressed, however, citing in particular “the announcement made about the hostages which is chilling.” Hamas has threatened to execute Israeli hostages in response to increasing Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip.