France summons Israeli ambassador after incident in Jerusalem

France's foreign ministry said it summoned Israel's ambassador to tell him that an incident in Jerusalem involving Israeli security forces entering a French-administered property should never be repeated.

Two French security officials with diplomatic status were briefly detained last week after France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot was due to visit the compound of The Church of the Pater Noster on the Mount of Olives in occupied East Jerusalem. 

The site, one of four administered by France in Jerusalem, is under Paris's responsibility.

The French foreign ministry said the Israeli ambassador had been told the presence of armed Israeli security forces and the arrest of French officials was "unacceptable", especially between allies with strong ties.

"Measures will be put in place to ensure that such acts do not recur," it said.

Israel's foreign ministry said that visiting foreign leaders are accompanied by Israeli security personnel, which it said had been "clarified in advance in the preparatory dialogue with the French Embassy in Israel".

Relations between France and Israel have soured in recent months, particularly since President Emmanuel Macron called for an end to the supply of offensive weapons to Israel. France also recently attempted to ban Israeli weapons firms from exhibiting at a trade fair in Paris.