French foreign minister says diplomacy needed to guarantee Israel's security

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has said that Israel's security requires a diplomatic solution and cannot be achieved by "force alone."

“Force alone cannot guarantee the security of Israel, your security. Military success cannot be a substitute for a political perspective,” Barrot told reporters during a visit to Israel.

“To bring the hostages home to their loved ones, to allow the displaced to return home in the north, after a year of war, the time for diplomacy has come.”

His comments follow French President Emmanuel Macron's call for an arms embargo against Israel.

However, a report from French television station BFMTV revealed that France will continue to provide what it called defensive equipment to Israel, primarily for missile defence.