Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday evening blasted French President Emmanuel Macron, after Macron criticized the US cancellation of visas to Palestinian Authority officials ahead of the UN General Assembly.
“President Macron is very interested in visas to the United States for Palestinian Authority officials. That is what keeps him awake at night. He does not protest against the rampant incitement in the Palestinian education system against Israel and Jews. He also does not object to the payments transferred by the Palestinian Authority to terrorists and their families under the ‘pay for slay’ method. The more severe the act of terror - the higher the reward paid by the Palestinian Authority,” said Sa’ar.
He added, “Macron is trying to intervene from the outside in a conflict to which he is not a party, in a manner completely disconnected from the reality on the ground after October 7th.”
“Macron undermines the stability of the region with his actions and drags the regional and international system toward unilateral steps. His actions are dangerous. They will not bring peace nor security,” concluded Sa’ar.
Macron said earlier that the US decision not to grant visas to PA officials was "unacceptable" and should be reversed.
"We call for this measure to be reversed and for Palestinian representation to be ensured in accordance with the Host Country Agreement," Macron wrote in a post on X.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday thanked US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their decision.
“On behalf of the state of Israel, I thank President Trump and Secretary Rubio for their moral clarity,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
He added, “Denying visas to those who glorify terror is not punishment, it is justice. There are no prizes for terror and no rewards for barbarism.”
PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s office expressed “deep regret and astonishment” over the US decision and urged the administration to reverse course.