Israel recalls its envoys to Ireland, Norway, Spain
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00:00Straight to Jerusalem, let's bring in our correspondent Iris Mackler. Good to see you, Iris.
00:04First of all, a pretty swift response. I guess Israel and the government must have known this
00:09was some time in coming and planning this coordinated move today. Bring us up to date with
00:14the reaction. Yes, I think there is anger here from this right-wing government particularly,
00:20and in addition to recalling Israel's envoys from the three European countries,
00:26Israel's foreign minister is calling those ambassadors in for stern words, and I think
00:32it's been reported in the Israeli media that he will explain to them that in the view of Israel,
00:37this is a reward to Hamas for its actions on October the 7th. You know, the wrong action at
00:43the wrong time is the Israeli point of view, and I think if you're looking to what we heard from
00:48France today, there's the possibility that this could be extended with France saying today it's
00:54not taboo at all. It has to be effective, and that is what is the consideration in Paris or for
01:01Paris. So that's one thing. I think you're looking at a series of diplomatic blows. This follows
01:07on yesterday or earlier this week when we heard that the International Criminal Court
01:11is considering issuing arrest warrants for two Israeli leaders, the prime minister and the
01:17defense minister, an unprecedented step. And then we have heard that Washington is organizing
01:24something that Benjamin Netanyahu has a long work towards, which would be a normalization of
01:29relations with Saudi Arabia. But that's something diplomatic that doesn't look as if it's going to
01:35happen because the price is not right for this right-wing government. The price would be ending
01:41the war in Gaza and some kind of recognition of a Palestinian state to come. So I think it's a
01:46series of diplomatic blows really, Gavin. Yeah, interesting you said this is the wrong action at
01:52the wrong time. I think from the French and Belgian point of view today we're hearing this is the
01:57right action, it's a consideration, but at the wrong time. As you said on the French government,
02:01Stéphane Sézionnet is saying today to reporters that this is something we're looking at. This is not
02:05the right moment. The Belgian prime minister, Alexandre Ducroux, well they were expected to go
02:09ahead with the Spanish because they had coordinated some of the earlier moves together. But we've
02:14heard from the Belgians today that this is not the right moment either. So that's very interesting
02:18there. Tell us about something else today. You talked a little bit about the pressure on the
02:24Israeli government. We had this first thing on Monday morning, surprise international criminal
02:29court prosecutors saying that arrest warrants, as you mentioned, wanted for Benjamin Netanyahu
02:34and Yoav Galant. Something that will have to be processed and considered now by the ICC.
02:39Tell me about the mood of the right-wing government and also about the manoeuvres of one particular
02:44member today. Yes, I think there's still shock in Israel. People are reeling from this.
02:53The equivalence, I think, is what is so offensive to them, that there's an equivalence between the
02:58leaders of Israel and the leaders of Hamas, a designated terrorist group in Europe and in the
03:03United States. And I think they understand that it's different for a democracy. It's the first
03:09time a democratic leader would be so charged if the ICC prosecutor's recommendations are taken up.
03:17And that means something. They're describing it here using the biblical expression,
03:21a mark of Cain. So they are now talking, after the fuming is dying down a little,
03:27about a diplomatic solution being the only one. But at the same time as they're looking for an
03:32international diplomatic solution, the most right-wing member of this government, Itamar
03:37Ben-Gvira, head of his own Jewish Power Party, this morning went up to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, known
03:43to Jews as the Temple Mount. That's something he hasn't done since October the 7th and hasn't done
03:48for about a year. It's a very controversial step. And from there, he announced his criticism of the
03:53European nations. So if you really want a diplomatic solution, I don't know that this
04:00was a diplomatic step. And it's been reported in the Israeli media that this was done in
04:05coordination with or with the knowledge of the Israeli Prime Minister's office.
04:10Iris, thank you. Iris Mackler, our correspondent in Jerusalem.