Israel denounces ‘grotesque absurdity’ of Macron’s UN remarks on West Bank

Israeli leaders vehemently rejected French President Emmanuel Macron's UN remarks regarding Israeli actions in the West Bank, branding them a "grotesque absurdity." The prime minister's office dismissed Macron's claim that Hamas was not active in the territory, describing it as "staggering." The office highlighted the daily attacks by Hamas terrorists on Jewish civilians in Judea and Samaria, the Biblical name for the West Bank, which Israel captured in 1967.

Netanyahu's office specifically cited the shooting death of an Israeli settler, Netanel Shukrun, on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, in the West Bank. The victim, a father of six with French citizenship, was reportedly killed by a Palestinian gunman. Israel claimed it swiftly arrested the gunman at a hospital and later raided his village.

In response to Macron's speech, an Israeli minister called for the execution of the gunman under a new law. The Israeli military reported that settler-related violent incidents against Palestinians or their property occurred daily in the West Bank. Macron expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Hamas orchestrated the deadliest attack on Israel in October 2023. He questioned the credibility of remaining passive in Gaza, claiming that peace talks have failed to improve humanitarian aid.

Macron criticized Israel's actions in the West Bank as well, stating that violations happen every day and questioning the legitimacy of the Palestinian people's right to exist. The Palestinian Authority, led by Hamas's rivals, oversees major urban areas in the West Bank, while Israel maintains control over most of the territory. Macron's remarks came amid strained relations between France and Israel, following France's recent sanctions on Israeli settlement products in the West Bank.