French President Emmanuel Macron signaled on Thursday that France may soon adopt a firmer diplomatic approach toward Israel, once again baselessly accusing Israel of creating a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reiterating a warning issued by France, Canada and the UK of possible sanctions.
Macron said discussions were "ongoing", and that the countries "will decide in the next couple of days if we need to harden our tone and take concrete steps regarding Israel." France is expected to host a conference on Gaza this month, without Israel's participation, which is expected to culminate with a push for Palestinian statehood.
The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee mocked Macron for this effort and said the president could "carve out a Palestinian state from the French Riviera."
Israel's Foreign Ministry has rejected the claims of hunger and food shortages in Gaza, with a new scheme successfully launched several days ago to distribute goods through a US company and without going through Hamas. Israel calls the accusations "a blatant lie."
Several weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a blistering condemnation of Macron, accusing him of siding with Hamas following his sharp criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. reported the extraordinary diplomatic clash that has further strained relations between the two nations.
"Macron has once again chosen to stand with a murderous Islamist terrorist organization and echo its despicable propaganda, accusing Israel of blood libels. Israel is engaged in a multi-front war for its very existence following the horrific massacre committed by Hamas against innocent people on October 7, including the murder and kidnapping of dozens of French nationals. Instead of supporting the Western democratic camp fighting the Islamist terrorist organizations and calling for the release of the hostages, Macron is once again demanding that Israel surrender and reward terrorism," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
After utterly failing as President of France, @EmmanuelMacron is now thriving in his new role as head of the PLO - alongside that great defender of democracy, @LulaOficial https://t.co/hKLqTlpx3N pic.twitter.com/RqIxCXK420
— עמיחי שיקלי - Amichai Chikli (@AmichaiChikli) June 5, 2025
The harsh rebuke from Jerusalem followed Macron's interview with TF1 television, where the French leader delivered some of his strongest criticisms yet of Israel's military operations. "What the government of Benjamin Netanyahu is doing is unacceptable… There is no water, no medicine, the wounded cannot get out, the doctors cannot get in. What he is doing is shameful," Macron told TF1.
