France may expel Mossad agents if Israel closes Jerusalem consulate, sparking diplomatic showdown

Israel is considering shutting down the French consulate general in Jerusalem, prompting leadership in Paris to threaten retaliation by expelling Israeli diplomats, as well as Mossad operations on French soil, according to a report by French journalist Georges Malbrunot.

In the French daily newspaper “Le Figaro” Malbrunot said France is preparing some countermeasures to the Israeli plan to close the consulate.

The article also states that the French retaliation could include a reduction of Mossad staff and operatives in the country. However, Malbrunot noted the Israeli Embassy security detail would not be affected by any actions of the French government. 

Israel has repeatedly challenged the recognition of a Palestinian State by France, Canada, and other Western nations without Israeli agreement. Paris intends to proceed with the plan at the next UN General Assembly meeting. 

The possible closing of the French consulate in Jerusalem is a sign of growing tension between the two countries, which have long been cooperative with each other. The consulate serves around 25,000 French citizens currently living in West Jerusalem, where it has been located since 1843.

Experts say the retaliation against Mossad operatives in France could have a detrimental effect on the country’s security. Mossad has worked with French authorities and intelligence for decades, helping to disrupt multiple Iranian plots and attacks against French targets, including a recent 2018 Iranian opposition rally near Paris.

In a statement, French President Emmanuel Macron said his nation intends to recognize the Palestinian state at the UN, whether or not a ceasefire has been reached between Israel and Hamas.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called such actions a “prize for terror,” and the recognition of a Palestinian state that refuses to deal peaceably with Israel is an “incentive” for Hamas and other terrorist organizations who are explicitly intent on destroying the Jewish state.