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French President Emmanuel Macron has had a confrontation with Israeli security when visiting Jerusalem's Old City. Israeli police and security pushed past Macron as he approached a French church and entered the church before the president and his detail did.
The Church of Saint Anne was gifted to France in 1856 by the Ottoman Empire and is considered part of French territory. France considers it a provocation when an Israeli security officer enters the church.
In a video that was first posted on social media, Macron is seen yelling at Israeli security to leave the basilica. "Go out -- outside please!" Macron said in English. "Everybody knows the rules. I don't like what you did in front of me."
In a lower voice he added: "Nobody, nobody has to provoke - nobody! OK? We keep calm. We had a wonderful walk…you did a great job in the city and I do appreciate guys."
French President Emmanuel Macron asking an Israeli security officer to leave the 12th century church (Credit: Ludovic Marin/ AFP)
The incident has parallels with France's former President Jacques Chirac's who visited the city in 1996. When Israeli security told the former French President to move on during this visit, he called their actions a "provocation."
"What do you want? Me to go back to my plane and go back to France, is that what you want?" he added.
In a statement, Israel's domestic security agency said: "In accordance with the pre-established coordination of security arrangements, a police officer and an officer of the Shin Bet accompanied the French president and his men into the church.
"Upon leaving, the president's team apologised for the incident, the president shook hands with the officers and continued his visit to the Old City, accompanied by the security forces in order to ensure his safety as a high-level visitor to Israel."
Macron is in Israel along with dozens of other world leaders to attend a Holocaust memorial on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Source(s): AFP ,Reuters
