Israel/Palestinian Territories
Settler attack on Palestinians in the West Bank (August 15, 2024)

France strongly condemns yesterday’s settler attack in the West Bank village of Jit, in which several Palestinian civilians were killed and injured.

The recurrence and violence of these attacks, which has only increased, reflects the climate of impunity in which such violent settler actions occur. France calls on Israel to immediately take all necessary measures to protect the Palestinian population and prosecute the perpetrators of these appalling crimes. France has adopted sanctions against Israeli settlers who have been guilty of violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. It will continue to do so and will work to do the same at the EU level, until such actions stop.

Climate
France welcomes the proclamation of the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (August 13, 2024)

France applauds the UN General Assembly’s August 13th adoption of the resolution proclaiming 2025 to 2034 to be the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences.

Through this resolution, introduced jointly by France and Tajikistan, the UN member states recognize the importance of preserving glaciers and the poles at a time when we are witnessing the melting of the cryosphere. These formations play a critical role in stabilizing the climate, preserving biodiversity, and maintaining fresh water access and sea level elevations.

This proposal is based on France’s first national polar strategy and is one of the staunch commitments contained in the Paris Call for Glaciers and Poles endorsed by President Macron, UNESCO, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and more than 30 countries at the One Planet – Polar Summit held in Paris in November 2023.

This Decade of Action will allow scientists from around the globe to unite and step up their research on the cryosphere in order to better understand and protect it. France will support efforts by the UN, and particularly UNESCO and the WMO, to implement the actions related to this Decade and calls on all its partners to help make it a success.