France's President Macron warns of Israel's Gaza City
takeover after Netanyahu accuses him of fueling anti-Semitism by backing
Palestinian statehood.
Macron declared that the attack was needless and demanded that all captives be released and that a lasting truce be established in Gaza.
"The military offensive on Gaza that Israel is preparing can only lead to disaster for both peoples and will plunge the region into permanent war,"
Macron posted on social media.
His comments came following talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt – and hours after Israel Katz, the Israeli Defence Minister, sanctioned the army's deployment and the recall of 60,000 reservists for the operation.
He went on to say that Hamas should surrender its weapons and that humanitarian aid should be sent to Gaza on a huge scale.
Macron also advocated for the two-state solution summit in New York next month and stated that an international stabilization mission for Gaza should be established.
"We believe that only the following course of action can bring this conflict to an end,"
he insisted.
Macron also said there should be an international stabilisation mission for Gaza, and promoted next month's conference on the two-state solution in New York.
"This is the only credible way forward – for the families of the hostages, for Israelis, and for Palestinians alike. No to war. Yes to peace and security for all."
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, accused Macron in a formal letter of inciting anti-Semitism with his plan to recognize the Palestinian state, and Macron's announcement is certain to exacerbate relations with Netanyahu.
In response, the Elysée Palace said Netanyahu's remarks were deplorable and incorrect.
“This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation,” it said. "Far from tolerating anti-Semitism, France protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens."
Over 145 members of the UN have either recognized or intend to recognize the Palestinian state.
The Palestinian Authority in Ramallah sharply denounced Netanyahu's assertions and applauded France's position.
Its foreign ministry dismissed the "old record" of equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism, calling his charges "unjustified and hostile to peace." It also said, "No one is fooled."
A broader backdrop of diplomatic tension has accompanied the row's development. After Canberra declared it would also recognize a Palestinian state, Netanyahu on Tuesday again blasted Australia, calling Prime Minister Anthony Albanese "a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews."
What specific risks does Macron see in Israel's Gaza occupation plan?
Macron warned that the planned military offensive in Gaza
"can only lead to disaster for both peoples"—meaning both Israelis
and Palestinians. He cautioned that the operation risks plunging the entire
region into a cycle of "permanent war" without resolution.
Macron emphasized that the strategy's main casualties will continue to be Israeli hostages and Gaza residents, suggesting deteriorating humanitarian conditions and instability in the region. Macron referred to the proposal as a "disaster of unprecedented gravity waiting to happen," implying that the conflict would be drawn out and might never conclude.
He emphasized that the war will worsen in the absence of political solutions like long-term ceasefire agreements, Hamas disarmament, and bolstering the Palestinian Authority.