France’s Macron Says US-Led Anti-ISIS Coalition Should Fight Hamas

The comments suggest he wants the coalition to directly enter the Gaza war

French President Emmanuel Macron was in Israel on Tuesday and said the US-led anti-ISIS coalition based in Iraq and Syria should also fight Hamas.

“France is ready for the coalition, which is fighting in Iraq and Syria against ISIS, to also fight against Hamas,” Macron said alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Macron did not specify what he meant by “fight” Hamas, but the comments suggest the French leader was proposing the coalition could directly enter the war in Gaza, which would be a major escalation. Macron’s office later suggested he was talking about intelligence sharing.

“The international coalition against [ISIS] does not limit itself to operations on the ground, but is also involved in the training of Iraqi forces, the sharing of information between partners, and the fight against terrorism funding,” Macron’s office said, according to Reuters.

Macron’s comments are the latest sign that Israel’s Gaza onslaught could escalate into a major regional conflict. There are 2,500 US troops in Iraq and about 900 in Syria that are part of the anti-ISIS coalition, and their bases have been under drone and rocket attacks due to President Biden’s support for Israel. The US has vowed it will respond to attacks on its forces in the region.

There’s also the risk of Hezbollah opening a second front for Israel in the north if Israel invades Gaza. Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire across the border, but there’s no sign yet that Hezbollah plans on launching a major attack.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.