Palestine: In Montpellier, a gathering criticizes the French position on the sidelines of Jean

On the occasion of the visit to Montpellier by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot on Friday, April 17, several dozen people gathered at Place de la Comédie at the call of MRAP and the Association France Palestine Solidarité 34. The mobilization aimed to express criticisms of the French diplomatic position. “We wanted to express our disagreement with France’s foreign policy,” explained Béatrice Rougy, a member of MRAP. While Jean-Noël Barrot was at the Maison des relations internationales, his chief of staff came to meet with the activists for an exchange of about thirty minutes. Although the protesters appreciated that a representative of the minister came to meet with them, the responses provided raised some reservations. “We can’t say we are very satisfied,” said Béatrice Rougy. Amongst the issues discussed, the question of exports related to armaments to Israel drew criticism. “They started by denying, then saying it was not weapons but components, and then that they were only defensive weapons.” A distinction considered unclear by the participants.

Context: The article discusses a protest in Montpellier against the French government’s foreign policies, particularly regarding armament exports to Israel.

Fact Check: The article mentions the date “September 18, 2024,” which is not accurate as it is in the future.