Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly rebuked French President Emmanuel Macron following the latter’s criticism of Israel’s conduct in the occupied West Bank. The exchange occurred during Macron’s address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Speaking in French, Macron highlighted the ongoing violations in the region, questioning the justification for such actions given that Hamas had not been a significant force in the area. ‘Look at what is happening in the West Bank, where day in, day out, we are seeing violations,’ Macron stated, according to the official UN interpreter. He added, ‘And in the name of what? Hamas was never very active in the West Bank.’
Netanyahu immediately dismissed the comments as a ‘grotesque absurdity.’ In a statement issued by his office, the Israeli prime minister argued that members of the Palestinian armed group carry out attacks against Jewish citizens nearly every day. The statement also referenced the murder of Netanel Shukrun, a French citizen and father of six, who was killed by a Hamas terrorist in Judea and Samaria—the biblical term used by Israeli officials for the West Bank—just two days prior.
No immediate response was issued from Macron’s office. However, a French diplomatic source told the Jerusalem Post that there had been a misinterpretation of the president’s words. The source clarified that the French phrase ‘Le Hamas n’a jamais sévi en Cisjordanie’ was intended to mean that Hamas has never governed the West Bank, rather than implying the group was inactive there.
Macron also challenged US President Donald Trump’s claim that he had brought an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Despite the ceasefire established last October, violence persists with near-daily Israeli strikes, and humanitarian conditions remain dire. ‘Some boast of a supposed peace. But that peace has not reopened humanitarian access for a single second,’ Macron said. ‘Are we simply to stand by and watch this spectacle that should shame us all?’2>p>The killing of Shukrun, 36, took place when a Palestinian opened fire on a group of Israelis at a spring near the settlement of Neve Tzuf. The suspect was subsequently arrested at a hospital in Ramallah. While Hamas praised the attack, it did not claim responsibility. The group is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, France, and other nations, and remains a political rival to the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank not under Israeli control.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also criticized Macron’s remarks, describing them as disconnected from reality. Israel has constructed approximately 160 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Middle East war, housing around 700,000 Jewish residents. These settlements are considered illegal under international law. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live in the same territory, which, along with Gaza, Palestinians seek for a future independent state.
The murder of a French citizen is tragic, but using it to dismiss Macron’s broader concerns about occupation seems like a distraction.
Interesting that neither side seems interested in actual dialogue. This diplomatic spat just highlights how far apart they really are on the West Bank.
Netanyahu’s reaction feels defensive. International law clearly labels those settlements illegal, and ignoring that won’t make the criticism go away.
Macron is right to point out the hypocrisy of claiming peace while humanitarian conditions remain dire. The ceasefire is barely holding.
The French diplomatic clarification is really weak. Saying Hamas never governed there doesn’t address the daily violence against civilians.