Israeli and French Foreign Ministers Held Secret Meeting on October 7

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar held a clandestine meeting at his home in Ness Ziona with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on October 7, during the French diplomat's visit to mark the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, according to local media reports.

Barrot's visit to Israel was officially designated as private rather than political, aimed at attending memorial events. During his trip, he toured Hostages Square in Tel Aviv and spoke at the Nova memorial site. French officials had initially stressed that Barrot would not hold meetings with any Israeli government representatives, including the foreign minister or the prime minister.

Despite the diplomatic friction between Jerusalem and Paris, the backchannel between the two capitals has remained active. Authorities in Jerusalem have expressed appreciation for France's opposition to proposals aimed at boycotting Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest.

During their discussions, Paris attempted to persuade Israel to agree to the deployment of military personnel to southern Lebanon to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces in pilot zones, a proposal that Israel ultimately rejected. Meanwhile, Israel has refrained from taking punitive diplomatic measures against France, such as closing the French Consulate in Jerusalem, a step previously taken against the United Kingdom over policies concerning settlement goods.