Netanyahu Slams Macron's Recognition Plan for Palestine

April 14, 2025 | 02:47 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned President Emmanuel Macron's plan to recognize the state of Palestine. In a statement on Sunday, April 13, 2025, Netanyahu said Macron is greatly mistaken to continue promoting the idea of a Palestinian state, a state whose only aspiration is the destruction of Israel.

He also defended his son, Yair Netanyahu, who had criticized Macron. “I love my son Yair, a true Zionist worried for the future of the country. Like every citizen, he is also entitled to his personal opinion, though the style of his response to President Macron’s tweets calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state is unacceptable to me,” Netanyahu wrote in Hebrew on X, as quoted from Times of Israel.

Netanyahu responded to Macron's statement earlier this week that France could recognize Palestine in the upcoming months. "To this day, not a single figure in Hamas or the Palestinian Authority has condemned the horrors of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust," he stated, as cited by NDTV.

He referred to the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel. "We will not endanger our existence over illusions detached from reality, and we will not accept moral lectures about establishing a Palestinian state that would threaten Israel's survival -- especially not from those who oppose granting independence to Corsica, New Caledonia, French Guiana, and other territories, whose independence would pose no threat to France whatsoever," Netanyahu said.

In addition to Netanyahu, his son Yair attacked Macron in a previous post on X: "Screw you!" Yair Netanyahu wrote in English on Saturday night, April 12, 2025.

"Yes to independence of New Caledonia! Yes to independence to French Polynesia! Yes to independence of Corsica! Yes to independence of the Basque Country! Yes to independence of French Guinea!" Yair exclaimed. He seemed to be confused with French Guiana.

In an interview with France 5 broadcast on Wednesday, Macron stated that France could take this step during the UN conference in New York in June. He hoped that this would trigger reciprocal recognition of Israel by Arab countries.

"We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months," Macron said as reported by NDTV.

"I will do it because I believe that at some point it will be right and because I also want to participate in a collective dynamic, which must also allow all those who defend Palestine to recognise Israel in turn, which many of them do not do," Macron said.

Macron's statement sparked a wave of criticism from right-wing groups in France. Then, on Friday, Macron clarified his initial statement.

"I support the legitimate right of Palestinians to a state and to peace, just as I support the right of Israelis to live in peace and security, both recognised by their neighbours," he said on X.

"I am doing everything I can with our partners to reach this goal of peace. We truly need it," he said.

Relations between Israel and France have deteriorated in recent months. France has long advocated for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, including after the October 7, 2023, attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Israel.

However, Paris' official recognition of the Palestinian state would mark a significant policy change and risk angering Israel. According to Israel, such steps by foreign states are premature.

France would become the most significant European power to recognize Palestine. The United States opposes recognizing Palestine. Hamas has welcomed Macron's statement. Nearly 150 countries recognize Palestine. Last May, Ireland, Norway, and Spain recognized Palestine, followed by Slovenia in June.

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