Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Tuesday sharply criticized French President Emmanuel Macron over his claim at the United Nations that Hamas “has never been very active” in Judea and Samaria.
“The grotesque absurdity of Emmanuel Macron’s statement is staggering. On Sunday, the eve of Yom Kippur, just two days ago, Netanel Shakron – a FRENCH CITIZEN and father of six – was murdered in his car by a Hamas terrorist in Judea and Samaria. With his final breath, he told his son to run,” the statement said.
“Hamas terrorists carry out attacks against Jews almost every day. They have murdered countless Israeli civilians in Judea and Samaria. Ignorance is NO EXCUSE for erasing their blood,” it added.
Macron made the remarks while discussing the situation in Judea and Samaria during his UN General Assembly speech.
“Look, just look at what is happening in the West Bank. Day after day, we are seeing violations,” Macron said, referring to Israeli government policies and activity on the hilltops in the area.
He continued, “And in the name of what? Hamas has never been very active in the West Bank. What we need is respect for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, their legitimate right to exist.”
Minister Bezalel Smotrich also accused Macron of misrepresenting Hamas’ role in the area, citing the killing of Netanel Shakron on Sunday.
“President Macron is lying. This week, on Sunday, a despicable terrorist from the Hamas terrorist organization murdered Netanel Shakron, may God avenge his blood, who was bathing with his sons in a spring ahead of Yom Kippur. This is just one attack out of hundreds of attacks led by the Hamas terrorist organization. The terrorist organization fuels Arab terrorism in Judea and Samaria and is a significant part of it and its activities.”
Smotrich said Israel is responding by strengthening communities in the area and warned that a future government led by opposition figures would dismantle those communities.
He added: “Against this terrorism, we stand as a fortified wall, fortifying and strengthening the communities and building the State of Israel’s security belt. And I warn: An Eisenkot-Liberman-Golan government will evacuate the communities we established and establish a terrorist state in the heart of the State of Israel. Macron is waiting for this, the European Union is waiting for this, and we must not allow it to happen – and only a strong Religious Zionist party will prevent it from happening.”