Macron and Netanyahu Clash Over Hamas West Bank Remarks

At the UN General Assembly in September 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticized French President Emmanuel Macron over remarks about Hamas in the West Bank. Netanyahu called Macron's comments a "grotesque" claim that Hamas "never operated" in the West Bank. French sources said the remark was mistranslated, and a French official clarified that Macron meant Hamas does not govern the West Bank. The dispute highlighted tensions between Israel and France over how to describe Hamas's role in the territory.