Macron Criticizes Israeli Policy in Gaza, West Bank, and Lebanon

In an interview with France 2, Macron urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to demonstrate responsibility, asserting that Tel Aviv's military strategy in the region "runs contrary to Israel's own interests" in the long run. He specifically condemned the military offensive in Gaza as a "huge mistake" and a "failure," highlighting the high number of civilian casualties that he believes are destroying Israel's image worldwide.

Macron also strongly criticized Israel's settlement expansion plans in the occupied West Bank, labeling it a "political project" aimed at undermining the possibility of a two-state solution and denying Palestinians their right to peace. He pointed to the controversial E1 plan, which includes the construction of 3,400 new housing units, as evidence of this objective.

The French president rejected accusations from Netanyahu that France's support for recognizing a Palestinian state fuels antisemitism. Macron stated that recognizing Palestinian statehood is the best way to isolate Hamas and warned that it is a critical moment to pursue a two-state solution.

Macron announced that France would move forward with recognizing a Palestinian state alongside other countries at the United Nations General Assembly on September 22.