Mélenchon says French ships may escort Gaza flotillas

Jean-Luc Mélenchon said at a campaign rally in Le Bourget on November 7 that French ships would, if necessary, escort civilian flotillas seeking to assert Palestinian rights. The La France Insoumise leader framed the pledge as part of his proposed foreign policy if elected president in 2027; it is a campaign proposal, not a French government decision.

Mélenchon said he would act to support Palestinians and opposed what he described as the gradual annexation of the West Bank, southern Lebanon and the Golan Heights. He also pledged measures to mobilise against violence affecting Christian communities in Palestine and Lebanon. His remarks addressed Israel’s war in Gaza and its policies in the region, which he characterised as genocide and annexation.

The proposed escort could accompany civilian vessels attempting to reach Gaza, but Mélenchon did not set out the mission’s operational details. He did not specify whether French warships would be authorised to use force if Israeli forces tried to intercept a flotilla. The pledge therefore does not establish what action a future government would take in such a confrontation.

La France Insoumise’s 2027 platform also proposes sanctions...