French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently pledged to formally recognize a Palestinian state next month, condemned Hamas in harsh terms after new footage emerged showing Israeli captives held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
“Abject cruelty, limitless inhumanity: this is what Hamas embodies,” Macron posted on X, responding to the disturbing video clips. “The unbearable images released this morning, showing Israeli hostages held in Gaza, remind us of this with horror.”
He continued by expressing sympathy for the captives and their families: “We think with emotion of Evyatar David, of Rom Braslavski, of all the hostages still held, as well as their families and loved ones plunged into hell for over 660 days. The absolute priority and imperative for France is the immediate release of all hostages.”
Macron emphasized France’s continued diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis. “We continue to act relentlessly to this end, to secure this unconditional release, to reestablish an immediate ceasefire, and to enable the massive delivery of humanitarian aid, still blocked at the gates of Gaza.”
Addressing critics who questioned his intent to recognize Palestinian statehood while Hamas retains power in Gaza, Macron stated: “But this will not be enough: this work must be accompanied by a political solution for the day after. This solution is that of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace. It is the only possible path toward a future where justice, security, and dignity are guaranteed for all the peoples of the region.”
Macron concluded his message with a firm stance on the terms of any future political framework: “Let there be no ambiguity: in this political perspective that we uphold, we demand the total demilitarization of Hamas, its complete exclusion from any form of governance, and the recognition of Israel by the State of Palestine.”
The French president’s post followed Hamas’s release of a one-minute video showing hostage Evyatar David looking extremely frail inside a cramped tunnel. A separate video released the previous day by Islamic Jihad showed another hostage, Rom Braslavski, also in captivity.
Macron’s plan to officially recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations this September has triggered backlash, particularly in Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly rebuked Macron’s move, stating: “We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv in the wake of the October 7 massacre. Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became. A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.”
Macron has also openly criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza. On two occasions, he has called for halting arms sales to Israel, arguing that “stopping the export of weapons” used in the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah is essential to bringing the violence to an end.
{Matzav.com}
