French President Emmanuel Macron apologised for France’s role in the Holocaust during a speech in Paris today, as he called for acknowledge of the role the country played during the massacres.
Mr Macron stated that “it was indeed France that organised this,” referring to the deportation of tens of thousands of Jews to Nazi camps during World War II.
“France organized the roundups,” he said. “Not a single German participated.” And so France “in almost every aspect organised the death” of the victims.
He also dismissed arguments that it was merely a single government that was responsible for the atrocities.
“It is convenient to see the Vichy regime as born of nothingness, returned to nothingness,” he said. “Yes, it’s convenient, but it is false. We cannot build pride upon a lie.”
By admitting responsibility, the French nation “opened the path to correcting” its faults, Mr Macron added.
During his speech alongside Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu Mr Macron also called for the “resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians”.
“We share the same desire for a peaceful Middle East,” he added, stating that there must be a “framework of the search for a solution of two states, Israel and Palestine, living in recognised, secure borders with Jerusalem as the capital”.
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