France Walks Back Macron's Claim That Hamas Was Never Active in the West Ba

France moved on Tuesday to walk back President Emmanuel Macron's assertion at the United Nations that "Hamas was never active in the West Bank." The remark had drawn sharp condemnation from Israeli leaders across the political spectrum.

Responding to the Israeli criticism, a French diplomatic official told The Times of Israel that Macron "meant to say that Hamas does not govern the West Bank." "His remarks should therefore not be misrepresented," the official said.

Macron made the comment during his address to the UN General Assembly. In that speech he criticized Israeli conduct in Judea and Samaria and argued for Palestinian rights and a two-state solution. According to The Times of Israel's rendering, he told the assembly that "day in and day out" there were violations in the West Bank, then asked "in the name of what?" before making the claim about Hamas. Translations of the French original have varied. AFP rendered the line as "Hamas has never struck in the West Bank," and the UN's simultaneous English interpretation had him saying Hamas "has never caused trouble" there.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded that the "grotesque absurdity" of Macron's statement was staggering. The statement added that "Hamas terrorists carry out attacks against Jews almost every day" and cited the murder of Netanel Shukrun two days earlier.

Shukrun, 48, was a father of six from Alei Zahav who also held French citizenship. He had gone with his eldest son, 16-year-old Yoav, to the Ein Raya spring near Neve Tzuf to immerse ahead of Yom Kippur. When they returned to their vehicle, the terrorist opened fire. Shukrun was fatally wounded, and his son escaped unharmed. Israeli security officials identified the suspected attacker as Qadri Samara, a resident of the Palestinian town of Biddu who is affiliated with Hamas and was previously known to Israeli security forces, according to Channel 13. At his father's funeral, Yoav thanked him for the warning that saved his life, saying: "Thank you for giving me life."

The IDF increasingly believes the terrorist acted alone. His Shin Bet interrogation is expected to focus on where he obtained the weapon and whether anyone assisted him.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused the French president of lying outright. He cited the Shukrun attack as "just one attack out of hundreds of attacks led by the Hamas terrorist organization." Opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot also condemned the remark. He said Israel would not accept international hypocrisy. Yesha Council chairman Israel Ganz said Macron was taking "fake news to a new high."

Israeli officials also pointed to recent counterterrorism activity in the territory. Earlier this month, Israeli security forces announced the arrest of a suspected 10-member Hamas cell accused of planning an attack in the northern Jordan Valley.

Hamas does not hold governing authority in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority, a Hamas rival, exercises limited self-rule in major urban areas, while Israel maintains control over much of the territory. Israeli security agencies have nonetheless reported Hamas cells, operatives and attack plots there for years.

The dispute adds to already strained relations between Jerusalem and Paris. France formally recognized a Palestinian state at the UN in September 2025. At the same time, it condemned Hamas's October 7 attack and called for the group to be disarmed and excluded from governing a future Palestinian state. Netanyahu is expected to deliver a defiant address to the General Assembly on Thursday.