Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply disputed French President Emmanuel Macron's assertion about Hamas activity in the West Bank, dismissing the claim as fundamentally wrong.
Macron made the statement during his final address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, as he prepared to leave office. He told the assembly that Hamas "has never operated in the West Bank" while criticizing what he characterized as daily violations and settlement expansion in the territory.
Netanyahu responded with a written statement calling Macron's position "grotesque absurdity." He cited the killing of Netanel Shukrun, a French citizen and father of six, who was shot in the West Bank on Sunday. Israel attributes the attack to Hamas.
In his statement, Netanyahu said: "Hamas terrorists carry out attacks against Jews almost every day. They have murdered countless Israeli civilians in Judea and Samaria."
Gadi Eisenkot, who leads Israel's Yashar party and is a major contender against Netanyahu in elections scheduled for next month, also rejected Macron's characterization, saying the remark was "extremely divorced from the reality on the ground."
French officials moved quickly to clarify. A French diplomatic official said that Macron had "meant to say that Hamas does not govern the West Bank," distinguishing between operating and governing the territory.
Macron's remarks were part of a broader critique of Israeli policy in occupied Palestinian areas and what he saw as inadequate international response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He questioned whether countries that have recognized Palestinian statehood could claim credibility while remaining inactive on Gaza's humanitarian needs.
Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly himself on Thursday.
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