**French Foreign Minister Snubs Jerusalem Visit Amid Israeli Police Presence**

In a recent diplomatic clash, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot decided against entering a significant religious site in Jerusalem that falls under French administration. The unexpected turn of events unfolded after Israeli security forces, armed and present at the location, briefly detained two French officials. The incident at The Church of the Pater Noster on the Mount of Olives exacerbates ongoing tensions between the two nations.

The altercation began during Barrot’s scheduled visit to the site, known in French as Eleona, which also encompasses a monastery. Israeli security personnel confronted two French guards accompanying Barrot, leading to their brief detention. The officials were released immediately upon verifying their diplomatic status, according to a statement from the Israeli foreign ministry.

Israel maintains that accompanying foreign dignitaries with Israeli security is standard protocol, a practice reportedly communicated with the French Embassy ahead of the visit. Despite this, the presence of Israeli security forces within the French-administered site was deemed unacceptable by Barrot, who cited it as a disruption to the site's integrity and a setback to fostering diplomatic ties.

"This violation of the integrity of a site under French responsibility risks undermining the ties I had come to nurture with Israel at a time when we all need to move forward the region on the path to peace," Barrot expressed.

Diplomatic friction between France and Israel has been on the rise, particularly following French President Emmanuel Macron's calls for halting the supply of offensive weapons and for Israel to pursue diplomatic routes in the face of conflict in Gaza and Lebanon. France has consistently affirmed its commitment to Israel's security, underscoring its military support during Iranian missile threats earlier in the year.

This incident is reminiscent of previous diplomatic skirmishes over France's holdings in Jerusalem. Notably, in 2020, President Macron had a public confrontation over Israeli security presence at the Church of St. Anne. Similarly, in 1996, then-President Jacques Chirac experienced a contentious encounter with Israeli security during his visit, feeling provoked by their actions.

The recent episode signals another chapter in the ongoing strained relations between the two nations, highlighting the complexities of international diplomacy intertwined with historical and religious context.