Macron's UN Claim on Hamas Denied by Israeli Officials

French President Emmanuel Macron stated at the UN that Hamas has never operated in the West Bank. This assertion has been directly challenged by Israeli sources, who provided evidence of Hamas's long-standing presence and activities in the region. According to these sources, Hamas maintains a leadership structure in the West Bank, exemplified by Zahir al-Jarrar, identified as the organization's number two official. Aziz Dweik, a Hamas member and former speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, is also cited as a prominent political figure within the territory, having run for parliament under the Hamas banner. The article further points to the significant influence of Hamas's student wing, "Al-Kutla Al-Islamiya," which has reportedly led student unions at major West Bank universities, including Birzeit and An-Najah. Since the 1990s and throughout the Second Intifada, Hamas has allegedly carried out hundreds of attacks, including suicide bombings and shootings, utilizing its extensive military infrastructure in the West Bank. Notorious figures like Yahya Ayyash, Salah al-Aruri, and Abdullah Barghouti are named as prominent operatives involved in these actions. The report implicitly urges Macron to retract his statement and acknowledge Hamas's continued operational capacity in the West Bank.