Macron's UN Speech Sparks Israeli Outrage Over Hamas Claims
French President Emmanuel Macron's address at the UN General Assembly has drawn sharp criticism from Israel following his assertion that Hamas has "never operated" in Judea and Samaria. Macron, who reiterated calls for a Palestinian state, stated, "Look at what is happening in the West Bank. Day after day, we are witnessing violations. In the name of what? Hamas has never operated in the West Bank." He emphasized the necessity of recognizing the Palestinian people's right to exist as a prerequisite for Israel's security.
Israel vehemently rejected Macron's claim, pointing to documented evidence of Hamas activity in Judea and Samaria. This includes annual U.S. State Department reports on terrorism, specifically citing data from 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023, which detail Hamas operations in the West Bank and counter-terrorism actions by both Israeli and Palestinian security forces against its members.
Israeli media also highlighted a recent incident in early September, where Israeli security forces reported dismantling a Hamas cell of ten activists in the village of Aqaba in the northern Jordan Valley. The cell was suspected of planning terrorist attacks, further contradicting Macron's statement.
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