Netanyahu harshly criticize Macron again as France’s recognition of a Palestine state date approaches
The French presidency on Tuesday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statements linking Emmanuel Macron’s desire to recognize a Palestinian state to the incitement of anti-Semitism, describing them as “vile” and “based on fallacies”.
The Élysée Palace added that Netanyahu’s message “won’t go unanswered,” stressing that “the French Republic protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens… We’re going through a period that requires seriousness and responsibility, not confusion and manipulation”.
In an official letter to the French president, Benjamin Netanyahu wrote that his intention to recognize the State of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly is fueling “the fires of anti-Semitism”.
The Élysée confirmed that Macron learned of the contents of this letter through the press, but that he would also respond with a letter.
The French presidency said in a statement that linking France’s decision to recognize the state of Palestine next September with the incitement of anti-Semitic violence is “based on fallacies, is despicable, and won’t go unanswered”.
The statement added, “Violence against the Jewish community is unacceptable… Therefore, beyond condemnations, the President of the State has systematically called on all his governments since 2017, particularly after the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, to take the utmost firmness against the perpetrators of anti-Semitic acts”.
This came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his repeated criticism of French President Emmanuel Macron, as the deadline set by the latter for Paris to recognize the state of Palestine, scheduled for next month, approaches.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu sent a letter to Macron in which he considered his call to recognize the state of Palestine to be fueling “the fires of anti-Semitism”.
Netanyahu, addressing Macron, claimed that “the attacks on Israel and your call to recognize a Palestinian state have increased anti-Semitism… This isn’t diplomacy, it’s appeasement… These statements prompted Hamas to insist on not releasing the hostages”.
In response to Netanyahu’s remarks, French European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad told French channel BFMTV on Tuesday evening that Paris “doesn’t learn lessons from anyone, and France has always been very mobilized against anti-Semitism”.
He added, “I would like to clearly and firmly affirm that the issue of anti-Semitism, which is poisoning our European societies, and whose violent acts we have witnessed an acceleration since October 7, cannot be exploited politically”.
Last April, Macron announced that France might recognize the State of Palestine during the international conference on the two-state solution.
He then reaffirmed last month that he would announce his decision to formally recognize the State of Palestine before the UN General Assembly next September.
Between July 28 and 30, the “Two-State Solution Conference” was held in New York, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, with high-level participation and the presence of Palestine, but absent from the United States, to support the process of international recognition of the Palestinian state.
The conference issued the “New York Declaration” on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of the two-state solution.
It called for the recognition of the State of Palestine and granting it full membership in the United Nations, replacing the status that has existed since 2012, which is “non-member observer state”.
