JERUSALEM: World leaders react to Gaza violence, US embassy move

France and Britain called on Israel to show restraint. Britain said it had no plans to move its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and it disagreed with the U.S. decision to do so. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the U.S. move flouted international law.  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was […]

France and Britain called on Israel to show restraint. Britain said it had no plans to move its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and it disagreed with the U.S. decision to do so. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the U.S. move flouted international law. 

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” by the events in Gaza and said it showed the need for a two-state political solution. 

The Russian government said it feared the embassy move would increase tensions across the Middle East. 

Other responses to the violence were stronger. Regional power Turkey accused Israeli security forces of carrying out a massacre and said the U.S. Embassy move had encouraged them. 

The Cairo-based Arab League, comprising 22 member states, urged the international community to oppose what it considers an “unjust decision” and the ongoing “Israeli occupation” of Jerusalem

Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, called on Israel to respect the “principle of proportionality in the use of force”