French Jewish Council Accuses Macron of Downplaying Hamas's Role

The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) has strongly criticized French President Emmanuel Macron's recent remarks at the UN, where he stated that "Hamas has never operated in the West Bank." In a statement on X, the CRIF asserted that this claim "denies the reality of Hamas's presence and the numerous terrorist attacks it has carried out from cells established in that territory."

The organization cited the recent murder of Franco-Israeli father of six, Netanel Shukrun, who was killed in an attack on September 20 that Hamas praised, as evidence of this reality. The CRIF also suggested that the Palestinian Authority's postponement of legislative elections since 2006 is due to fear of Hamas winning, a fear stemming from the terrorist group's presence in the West Bank.

Beyond what it termed a "factual error," the CRIF also criticized Macron's broader discourse on the Gaza war, accusing him of placing "the entire responsibility for the situation in Gaza on Israel" while "silencing Hamas's absolute responsibility in the outbreak of this war on October 7." The CRIF warned that this omission grants a "symbolic victory to the narrative of the most radical anti-Zionist movements."

The CRIF acknowledged that political disagreements between France and Israel are legitimate but cautioned against further deterioration of their relationship. The organization concluded that "historical inaccuracies or virulent ostracizations unnecessarily contribute to degrading a relationship that is already at an all-time low."