Israel's Foreign Ministry says it has summoned the French ambassador to protest remarks made by the former French envoy to Washington, in which he called Israel an "apartheid state."

Former ambassador Gerard Araud on Tuesday replied to reports that Israel had summoned Ambassador Helene Le Gal. Araud defended his comments to The Atlantic magazine, saying on Twitter that he "was referring to the West Bank."

Araud said in an interview with The Atlantic earlier this month that Israel was "in fact already" an apartheid state given the status quo for West Bank Palestinians.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon responded to Araud on Twitter, saying his remarks were "offensive and uncalled for."