French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly criticised Israel’s settlement expansion plans in the occupied West Bank, describing them as a “political project” that undermines the possibility of a two-state solution and denies Palestinians the right to peace.
In an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 News, Macron distinguished between the situations in Gaza and the West Bank, stressing that the latter has no connection with Hamas. He argued that restarting settlement activities in the West Bank reflects political motives rather than security concerns.
“The West Bank has nothing to do with Hamas, and when people say the answer is to restart settlements, this is evidence that the objective is not to dismantle Hamas but to kill the possibility of two states and deny Palestinians their right to live in peace,” Macron said.
The remarks came in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approval of settlement expansion earlier this month. According to reports, the plan aims to establish a corridor in the West Bank that would split the territory and undermine territorial continuity for a future Palestinian state.
The expansion, centred in the E1 area east of Jerusalem, covers about 12 square kilometres and includes the construction of 3,400 housing units for Israeli settlers. If implemented, it would isolate East Jerusalem from much of the West Bank while strengthening Israeli settlement networks. East Jerusalem, which Palestinians envision as the capital of a future state, remains a focal point of the conflict.
Macron also condemned Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, calling it “counterproductive” and a “failure” due to its heavy civilian toll. “By causing so many civilian casualties, Israel is destroying its credibility not just in the region but in public opinion worldwide,” he said, adding that such actions violate international norms.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, Israel’s military operations since October 2023 have killed at least 65,208 people and injured over 166,000.