Macron's UN Claim on Hamas Activity in West Bank Draws Israeli Fire

French President Emmanuel Macron stated at the UN General Assembly that the Hamas terror organization has "never been active" in the West Bank, a claim that contradicts documented evidence of Hamas's operations in the region. Macron also linked the respect for Palestinian rights and their right to exist to Israel's security, asserting that this is a prerequisite for the existence and security of the Israeli people.

This is not the first time Macron has made a similar assertion; in September 2025, he told CBS that "there is no Hamas in the West Bank." His latest statement has drawn sharp criticism from Israeli officials.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vehemently rejected Macron's claim, stating, "President Macron is lying." Smotrich cited the recent murder of Natanel Shicron by a Hamas terrorist while he was bathing with his sons before Yom Kippur as one of hundreds of attacks orchestrated by Hamas in the West Bank. Smotrich emphasized that Hamas fuels Arab terror in Judea and Samaria and is a significant part of its activity.

Smotrich further stated that Israel stands firm against this terror by strengthening settlements and building a security buffer for the state. He then pivoted to domestic politics, warning that a government led by Benny Gantz, Avigdor Lieberman, and Itamar Ben-Gvir would evacuate settlements and establish a "terror state" within Israel, a scenario he believes Macron and the European Union await. Smotrich asserted that only a strong Religious Zionism party can prevent this outcome.