French Foreign Minister condemns “despicable” Hamas hostage videos — but Paris’ looming recognition of a Palestinian state and calls for an Israel arms embargo ignite a diplomatic firestorm with Jerusalem.
The diplomatic fault lines between France and Israel deepened sharply this weekend as French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot blasted Hamas for releasing disturbing videos of Israeli hostages — while President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pro‑Palestinian policies drew outrage from Jerusalem.
Barrot, posting on X, condemned the footage as “despicable” and “unbearable”, demanding the immediate, unconditional release of all captives.
“They must be freed, without conditions. Hamas must be disarmed and excluded from ruling Gaza,” Barrot declared, adding that humanitarian aid should be delivered to Gaza “in massive quantities”.
The comments came after Hamas released a one‑minute video Friday of Evyatar David in visibly deteriorating condition inside a narrow tunnel, following Islamic Jihad’s release of footage of Rom Braslavski a day earlier.
🇫🇷 Macron’s Gamble: Recognizing ‘State of Palestine’
The hostage crisis unfolds just weeks before Macron plans to formally recognize a Palestinian state in September — a decision Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed as “rewarding terror”.
Netanyahu fired back:
“Such a move risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became. A Palestinian state under these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not live in peace beside it.”
He accused the Palestinian leadership of seeking “a state instead of Israel”, not alongside it.
🔫 Arms Embargo Calls and Rising Tensions
Macron has repeatedly attacked Israel’s military campaign, urging an arms embargo against Jerusalem to halt fighting in Gaza and Lebanon. In May, he branded Netanyahu’s Gaza aid policy as “shameful” and hinted that EU–Israel cooperation agreements could be frozen.
Israel’s response was blistering.
“Macron stands with a murderous Islamist terrorist organization and echoes its despicable propaganda,” Netanyahu’s office charged, accusing the French leader of “blood libels” and undermining the Western democratic camp.
🔥 A War of Words Amid a War for Survival
Jerusalem warns it is fighting for its very existence after Hamas’ October 7 massacre, in which dozens of French nationals were among the murdered and kidnapped.
“Instead of demanding Hamas release the hostages, Macron demands Israel surrender and reward terrorism,” Israel’s statement concluded.
“Israel will not stop. Israel will not surrender.”
