Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly criticized French President Emmanuel Macron following the latter’s remarks at the United Nations General Assembly regarding Hamas and the West Bank. Macron’s statement that Hamas had “never operated in the West Bank” drew immediate backlash from Netanyahu’s office, which deemed the statement inaccurate.
The Israeli response underscored recent attacks in the West Bank, attributed to Hamas, including the killing of an Israeli-French citizen, which they highlighted in their rebuttal to Macron’s comments. An unnamed French diplomatic official later clarified that Macron meant Hamas does not govern the West Bank, rather than implying the group has never had a presence there.
Macron’s UN address also emphasized the humanitarian issues in Gaza and developments in the West Bank. He argued that ongoing violence and settlement expansion are detrimental to the prospects of achieving a two-state solution. These remarks reflect ongoing tensions between Israel and several European governments, notably over Israeli settlement policies and the broader conflict with Gaza.
The Palestinian Authority currently holds limited self-governing powers in parts of the West Bank, while Israel maintains significant control over much of the territory. Macron’s speech, and the subsequent controversy, highlight the persistent international disagreement on how to address conflicts in the region, with different views on the path to peace and Palestinian statehood.