Israeli leaders on Thursday blasted French President Emmanuel Macron after he announced that France will officially recognize the “State of Palestine”.
“Macron just awarded Hamas a prize for committing the October 7 massacre. This shameful act is nothing less than a betrayal by one of the so-called ‘leaders’ of the free world. It sends a chilling message: terrorism pays off,” said Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.
“Emmanuel Macron will be remembered as a collaborator with evil - on the wrong side of history. I’m ashamed to have met this man. I love France. It deserves more courageous leadership,” he added.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said, "Macron's announcement of his intention to recognize a Palestinian state is a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism, rewarding and emboldening the murderers and rapists of Hamas, who committed the most horrific massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Instead of standing with Israel at this critical moment, the French president is acting to weaken it."
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded to Macron's announcement and said, "I thank President Macron for giving us a reason to finally apply Israeli sovereignty over the homeland's territories in Judea and Samaria, and to permanently toss the idea of establishing an Arab terror state in the heart of the Land of Israel into the dustbin of history. This will be our appropriate Zionist response to the unilateral coercion attempts by Macron and his partners."
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said, "Recognizing a Palestinian state after the October 7 massacre is not diplomacy - it is a moral collapse. It is a reward for mass murder and a message to Islamic terror organizations: 'Murder Jews and you’ll get a state.' This disgraceful decision will end up in the dustbin of history."
Former Foreign Minister and chairman of Yisrael Beytenu, MK Avigdor Liberman, responded, "Recognition of a Palestinian state is a reward for terror and an encouragement to Hamas - an organization that carried out the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. This is not justice; it is surrender to terror."
The head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, said that "Macron long ago became Europe’s clown, trying to ruin the Middle East while his own country is burning. The response to this insolent man and hypocritical politician should be immediate sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. Our forefathers, the sons of the Jewish nation by the sea, built Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria when Macron’s ancestors were still climbing trees in the plains of Europe."
"The Land of Israel has always belonged to the Jewish people, belongs to the Jewish people today, and will always belong to the Jewish people. Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria are the Land of the Bible and the heartland of the Jewish nation. I call on the Prime Minister and government ministers to decide in this Sunday’s cabinet meeting to apply full sovereignty over Judea and Samaria," added Dagan.
Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar said, "President Macron has sold France to radical Islam."
MK Simcha Rothman said in response, "As the initiator of the Knesset resolution on sovereignty, I call on the Israeli government to advance sovereignty in Judea and Samaria as soon as possible. The Knesset approved sovereignty with a large majority of 71 members. This is the only possible response to terrorism and to those world leaders who have chosen to reward terror. Applying sovereignty will make it clear to the entire world: the Land of Israel belongs to the People of Israel — today, tomorrow, and forever."
MK Gilad Kariv (Labor) stated, "France’s decision to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state is yet another link in the chain of diplomatic collapse Israel is suffering due to reckless, extremist, and shortsighted conduct."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said, "We recognize France as a Palestinian state."
Minister of Settlements and National Missions Orit Strock stated, "Applying sovereignty in Judea and Samaria is the appropriate response to Macron’s antisemitic decision. The Knesset has already decided, the Prime Minister has already voted in favor, and sovereignty has already been declared as Israel’s political plan. Now comes Macron, a denier of history, and offers his own interpretation of the word ‘soon.’ Let’s move forward!"