ALBAWABA- In a scathing rebuke, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar lashed out at French President Emmanuel Macron’s push for Palestinian statehood, saying, “If you’re so enthusiastic about a Palestinian state, establish it on the vast lands of France.”
Saar’s sharp statement comes amid rising diplomatic tensions over growing international calls to recognize Palestinian sovereignty.
The comment echoes remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who told Bloomberg that the United States no longer fully supports the creation of a Palestinian state, stating, “I don't think so,” when asked directly.
Huckabee added that without drastic cultural change, a Palestinian state is unlikely to be viable “in our lifetime,” and even floated the possibility of a state outside the West Bank.
The criticism from Washington was formalized in a diplomatic cable obtained by Reuters, in which the U.S. discouraged countries from attending an upcoming U.N. conference on Palestinian statehood, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
The demarche warned that support for “anti-Israel actions” could carry diplomatic consequences and undermine efforts to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages.
The cable emphasized that unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state “would effectively render Oct. 7 Palestinian Independence Day,” referencing the Hamas-led assault on Israel that killed 1,200 people and triggered the current conflict.
Macron has publicly called Palestinian statehood a “moral duty” and a “political necessity,” and signaled that France could formally recognize such a state as early as June.
French officials are attempting to avoid a direct clash with Washington, but the divide between allies appears to be deepening.
Back in Israel, the controversy is intensifying the political turmoil. Opposition leaders lambasted Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition for prioritizing political deals with ultra-Orthodox parties over military conscription, even as the nation remains embroiled in war.
A motion to dissolve the Knesset was narrowly blocked, delaying elections that polls suggest Netanyahu would lose.
