Diplomatic row between France and Israel following Macron's UN address

French President Emmanuel Macron used his final speech at the UN General Assembly on September 22, 2026, to condemn the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, calling it a "spectacle that shames us all." Macron advocated for a two-state solution, which he described as essential for Israel's security, and criticized the surge of settler violence in the West Bank. He also called for urgent reforms to the UN Security Council, accusing it of paralysis and complicity in a "new order of impunity.

The Israeli Prime Minister's office responded with a sharp rebuke, labeling Macron's comments as "incomprehensible absurdity" and accusing him of ignorance regarding the situation on the ground. Israeli officials specifically countered Macron's claim about Hamas, stating that the group is active in Judea and Samaria and responsible for frequent attacks against Israeli citizens, including the recent killing of a French-Israeli settler. This diplomatic friction occurs as the Israeli government prepares for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled address to the General Assembly.