Macron’s UN remarks on multilateralism draw Israeli and U.S. criticism

A story of 3 related events · arranged 25 Sep 08:19 UTC · Sources | Summary

At the UN General Assembly, Emmanuel Macron defended the UN and international law, criticized conditions in Gaza and violence in the West Bank, and said Hamas had not been active there. Netanyahu’s office and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee criticized his remarks, while a French diplomatic source said Macron meant Hamas had never governed the West Bank.

Key points

• The dispute centered in part on Macron’s wording about Hamas in the West Bank: Israeli officials cited attacks there, while a French diplomatic source said Macron was referring to Hamas’s governing role.
  Evidence · 5 source statements

  Hamas was never very active in the West Bank,

  Since 1990, Hamas has carried out more than 80 lethal terrorist attacks originating in or directed from Judea and Samaria, murdering more than 350 Israeli civilians.

• Netanyahu and his office sharply criticized Macron’s speech, and Huckabee called it out of touch with reality.
  Evidence · 3 source statements

  Hard to imagine a more out of touch with reality speech than Mr. Macron at UN,

Who's involved

Where accounts differ

How it unfolded

• At the UN General Assembly — Macron defended the UN and international law, criticized conditions in Gaza and West Bank violence, and made remarks about Hamas’s activity in the West Bank.
  Evidence · 4 source statements

  France was committed to both the UN itself and a revival of multilateralism to “tackle common challenges together”.

  International law does not describe reality, but rather outlines the limits of acceptable behaviour

  Hamas was never very active in the West Bank,

• After Macron’s remarks — Netanyahu’s office called the remarks grotesquely absurd, and Netanyahu called the speech grotesque and shocking.
  Evidence · 2 source statements
• After Macron’s speech — Huckabee described the speech as out of touch with reality and condemned Hamas.
  Evidence · 2 source statements

  Hard to imagine a more out of touch with reality speech than Mr. Macron at UN,

  Hamas is an evil scourge, and they have killed innocent American citizens.

• In response to the dispute over the wording — A French diplomatic source said Macron meant Hamas had never governed the West Bank and that his words had been misinterpreted.
  Evidence · 3 source statements

  there had been a "misinterpretation".

  Hamas has never governed the West Bank.

What was reported

• Macron called for countries to support the UN, uphold international law, and reject what he described as an order of impunity.
  Reported independently by 2: Le Monde, UN News
  Evidence · 4 source statements

  France was committed to both the UN itself and a revival of multilateralism to “tackle common challenges together”.

  International law does not describe reality, but rather outlines the limits of acceptable behaviour

  “We simply cannot accept this new order of impunity which some are trying to erect.”
• Macron said the claimed peace in Gaza had not restored humanitarian access and described the situation there as shameful.
  Reported independently by 3: BBC News, Le Monde, Reuters
  Evidence · 3 source statements

  But that peace has not reopened humanitarian access for a single second.

  But that peace has not reopened humanitarian access for a single second,
• Macron criticized violence in the West Bank and said that violating the sovereignty of Israel’s neighbors weakens Israel’s security.
  Reported independently by 3: BBC News, Daily Jang, Reuters
  Evidence · 3 source statements

  Look at what's happening in the West Bank, where day in, day out, we are seeing violations.

  They are weakening Israel's security, both today and in the future,

• Macron said Hamas had never been active or carried out attacks in the West Bank; a French diplomatic source said he meant Hamas had never governed there and that his words had been misinterpreted.
  Reported independently by 4: BBC News, Clarín, France 24, Jerusalem Post
  Evidence · 5 source statements

  Hamas was never very active in the West Bank,

  "Hamas has never struck in the West Bank,"

  there had been a "misinterpretation".

  Hamas has never governed the West Bank.

• Netanyahu’s office called Macron’s remarks “grotesquely absurd” and said Hamas carried out attacks against Jews almost every day and had killed numerous Israeli civilians in the West Bank.
  One source: Le Monde
  Evidence · 3 source statements
• Netanyahu described Macron’s speech as “grotesque” and “shocking.”
  One source: Der Spiegel
  Evidence · 2 source statements
• Huckabee called Macron’s speech out of touch with reality, condemned Hamas, and said it had killed innocent American citizens.
  Reported independently by 2: France 24, The Hindu
  Evidence · 3 source statements

  Hard to imagine a more out of touch with reality speech than Mr. Macron at UN,

  Hamas is an evil scourge, and they have killed innocent American citizens.

  "Hamas is an evil scourge, and they have killed innocent American citizens."

• Amichai Chikli said Hamas had carried out more than 80 lethal attacks originating in or directed from Judea and Samaria since 1990 and killed more than 350 Israeli civilians.
  One source: Fox News
  Evidence · 1 source statement

  Since 1990, Hamas has carried out more than 80 lethal terrorist attacks originating in or directed from Judea and Samaria, murdering more than 350 Israeli civilians.

• The UN said there were about six settler-related violent incidents against Palestinians or their property per day in the West Bank through mid-2026.
  One source: The Hindu
  Evidence · 1 source statement

  The United Nations said there were about six settler-related violent incidents against Palestinians or their property daily through mid-2026 in the territory.

Events in this story