France condemns a spat between Israeli police and French consulate staff at a Jerusalem church

JERUSALEM (AP) — Armed Israeli police forced their way into a French-owned church compound in the contested city of Jerusalem on Thursday, the French foreign ministry said, briefly detaining two consulate employees and prompting the top French diplomat to abandon his planned visit to the site.

The unusual incident threatened to further strain relations between Israel and France weeks after French President Emmanuel Macron’s call for an arms embargo on Israel prompted backlash from right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.