French President Emmanuel Macron, who is preparing to announce the recognition of the state of Palestine, stated that the French embassy in Palestine will not reopen until the terrorist organization Hamas releases Israeli hostages. This comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and international pressure on Israel and Hamas to achieve a ceasefire.
Source: Bukvy
In an interview with the American TV channel CBS, Macron emphasized the need to distinguish between criticism of Israeli policy and antisemitism. “I am the first French president to recognize anti-Zionism as a form of antisemitism. But disagreement with the Israeli government does not make me an antisemite,” he said, commenting on the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At the same time, Macron acknowledged that among critics of Israeli policy, there may be those motivated by hatred of Jews.
The French leader noted that recognizing Palestine is part of a two-state support strategy, but it does not remove Hamas’ responsibility for terrorist acts and hostage-taking. He also expressed concern about the organization’s ability to recruit new fighters despite the elimination of its leaders and called for control over the Gaza Strip to be transferred to the Palestinian Authority to de-escalate violence and ensure stability.
Macron sharply criticized plans to relocate Gaza residents during the region’s reconstruction, calling them “madness” and stressing the negative humanitarian consequences. The President called for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages held by Hamas as a prerequisite for reopening the French embassy and taking further diplomatic steps.
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