France confirms French diplomat injured in Israeli airstrike

Nov 15, 2011, 15:02 GMT

Paris - France's foreign ministry on Tuesday confirmed that a French diplomat was injured in an Israeli missile attack Sunday evening on the Gaza Strip.

Foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said France's consul to Gaza, Majdi Shakoura, his wife and 13-year-old daughter were injured in the attack which targeted a security post adjacent to their residence.

Israeli jets struck a naval police building north of Gaza City that is under the control of the Hamas movement. The attack was in retaliation for an earlier rocket attack on southern Israel.

A Gaza emergency services spokesman said Monday a police officer was killed and four people injured in the attacks on the building close to the French consul's home.

Shakoura told AFP news agency he and his daughter were injured by flying glass after their windows were shattered and that his wife suffered a miscarriage.

'France deplores the consequences of this air raid,' Valero said.

'While remaining committed to Israel's security,' France had reminded Israel of the need 'to avoid all harm against civilians,' he said.

Asked whether France would summon the Israeli ambassador over the incident, or demand an official apology, he said Paris had no such plans.

France has trod carefully with Israel since French President Nicolas Sarkozy was reportedly overheard by reporters at a recent Group of 20 summit in Cannes calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'a liar.'

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