Palestinians took over Gaza in 1993. Israel had been in control since the six-day war but gave it to Palestinians to establish a Palestinian state. It was rife with fighting and misery. They claimed it would be better if Israel pulled out completely and they did. In 2006, they voted Hamas into office and spent the next two decades bombing Israel.
Finally, October 7 led to the Israeli war on Hamas.
Now, Macron says creating another Palestinian state will isolate Hamas. It defies reason for some of us.
Interviewer: What you’re suggesting is that this heinous terror organization will be able to say to the Palestinian people that recognition happened because of October 7. I mean, how is that not what many Israelis feel a reward for terrorism?
Macron: Israel delivered unique security results and restored its credibility in the region, against Hezbollah, against Hamas, against key terrorist people in the regions. But having this type of operations in Gaza is totally counterproductive, because this is being, I have to say, a failure.
The second point is that you are making so many civilian casualties and victims that you are completely destroying the image and the credibility of Israel, not just in the region, but in public opinions everywhere. If we want to break this vicious circle, we have to say Hamas is to be destroyed, dismantled, but the war approach had this effect with the top leaders. But it’s not sufficient.
The recognition of a Palestinian state is the best way to isolate Hamas.
Interviewer: By the way, Hamas welcomed your decision
Macron: By pure cynicism. But I don’t want to let them the monopoly of such a recourse, because this is not what they want. Is to destroy you. But if we consider that the Palestinian state will always have the objective to destroy Israel. How do you want to build a sustainable future? There is no way.”
“The recognition of a Palestinian state is the best way to isolate Hamas,” says French President Macron: pic.twitter.com/m3zbbuYzaT
— Yonit Levi (@LeviYonit) September 18, 2025
