French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said that recognizing a Palestinian state does not mean forgetting the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, in remarks made while seated next to U.S. President Donald Trump during a bilateral meeting.
“Nobody forgets the 7th of October,” Macron told reporters. “But after almost two years of war, what is the result? This is not the right way to proceed,” he added, calling for a renewed political process to end the conflict.
Trump, who has repeatedly criticized moves by France and other Western allies to recognize Palestine, strongly opposed the idea during the meeting. “I think it honors Hamas and you can’t do that because of October 7. You just can’t do that,” Trump said, reiterating his firm support for Israel.
The exchange comes amid mounting global outrage over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Nearly two years of Israeli military operations have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, displaced the enclave’s entire population, and triggered a severe hunger crisis.
Multiple U.N. experts and rights groups have accused Israel of committing genocide, allegations Israel rejects, saying it is acting in self-defense following the October 7 Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage.
Macron has been one of Europe’s most vocal leaders advocating for recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a broader political solution, arguing that continued war will not bring security or peace to the region.
Trump, by contrast, maintains that any recognition would reward “horrible atrocities” by Hamas.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
