Netanyahu Slams Macron's West Bank Remarks as 'Grotesque Absurdity'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly condemned French President Emmanuel Macron's comments regarding the occupied West Bank during a UN General Assembly address, calling them a "grotesque absurdity."

Macron, speaking in French, stated, "Look at what's happening in the West Bank, where day in, day out, we are seeing violations. And in the name of what? Hamas was never very active in the West Bank."

Netanyahu's office responded by asserting that "Hamas terrorists carry out attacks against Jews almost every day" in the West Bank, which Israel refers to as Judea and Samaria. The prime minister's office cited the recent murder of Netanel Shukrun, a French citizen and father of six, who was shot dead by a Palestinian assailant near the West Bank settlement of Neve Tzuf. Hamas praised the attack but did not claim responsibility.

The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, also criticized Macron's remarks, describing them as "out of touch with reality."

However, a French diplomatic source suggested there may have been a "misinterpretation" of Macron's statement. According to the Jerusalem Post, the French sentence, "Le Hamas n'a jamais sévi en Cisjordanie," was intended to mean "Hamas has never governed the West Bank," rather than downplaying its activity.

Macron also questioned the effectiveness of an asserted peace in the Gaza Strip, where violence has persisted despite a ceasefire. He noted that humanitarian access had not been improved and asked, "Are we simply to stand by and watch this spectacle that should shame us all?"

Israel has occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Middle East war. It has since built approximately 160 settlements, housing around 700,000 Jews. Palestinians seek these territories, along with Gaza, for a future state. These settlements are considered illegal under international law. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians also reside in the West Bank.