Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, was criticized by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his new speech suggesting that France might grant a Palestinian state in a few months.
Netanyahu said in a slyly statement on Sunday that” President Macron is profoundly mistaken in continuing to support the idea of a Palestinian state in the center of our property, a state whose only goal is the destruction of Israel.”
Macron had earlier stated to France 5 broadcast that a United peace conference in June in New York might lead to the recognition of Palestine. We must shift toward acknowledgment, and we will do so in the coming months, Macron said, adding that the action was meant to spark a wider geographical peace program.
He added that Arab countries should finally recognize Israel as a” collective dynamic” and ultimately as a mutual one.
Netanyahu reacted by accusing Palestinian leaders of keeping quiet following the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, calling it” the worst massacre of Zionists since the Holocaust.” He declared,” We will not damage our existence over illusions that are detached from reality, and we will never accept moral lectures about establishing a Palestinian state that may threaten Israel’s life, particularly never from those who oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state in Corsica, New Caledonia, French Guiana, and other lands whose liberation would pose no threat to France in any way.”
Yair Netanyahu, his brother, posted his fury on social media. He wrote,” Lock you,” in English in a Saturday night article on X! and incorrectly referred to” French Guinea” rather than” French Guiana,” calling for independence for several French territories, including Corsica and French Polynesia.
The younger Netanyahu also pointed out that France had “neoimperialism in West Africa,” which tapped into the tensions that were still simmering in the former French territories.
Following the Hamas strike in October 2023, France has longer supported a two-state option.
But, official recognition would represent a major policy change. Nearly 150 nations recognize Palestine, and Ireland, Spain, Norway, and Slovenia’s new decisions mostly resulted from anger over Israel’s military activities in Gaza.
Macron later clarified his statement on Friday, saying,” I support the genuine proper of Palestinians to a position and to peace, just as I support the right of Israelis to live in peace and security. ” Yes to harmony, please. Yes, I agree with Israel’s safety. ” Yes, Hamas-free Israeli condition.”
Macron argued that France’s reputation is intended to promote peace and to fight off Iranian actors who oppose Israel’s right to exist. He also reaffirmed that Gaza is” not a real estate project,” in contrast to US President Donald Trump’s earlier idea that the area should become a hub for tourism.
