On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron rejected US President Donald Trump’s assertions that he had achieved peace in Gaza, noting that not a single humanitarian corridor in the enclave had been reopened despite the declared peace.
In his final speech to the United Nations before stepping down next year, Macron declared that the world was witnessing a spectacle that ought to shame everyone, criticizing Trump’s depiction of his Gaza peace initiative as a diplomatic victory.
He addressed the United Nations General Assembly just hours after Trump, speaking from the same podium, had praised his Gaza peace initiative as a diplomatic success.
"A year ago, here in this very hall, about a dozen states had recognized Palestine. I hear the cynicism of some people: 'Recognition is just a piece of paper, look at the reality,'" Macron said, banging his fist on the podium in his last speech at the United Nations before stepping down next May.
What credibility can we claim if we remain passive in the face of what is happening in Gaza? Some speak proudly of an alleged peace, yet that peace has not restored humanitarian access for even a moment. Are we merely to stand aside and watch this spectacle that ought to fill us all with shame?
Responding to Macron’s criticism, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated that President Trump brought an end to the war between Israel and Hamas, secured the release of all surviving hostages, ensured the remains of those killed were returned to their families, and is currently overseeing the implementation of the 20-Point Plan for Peace in Gaza.
She further stated that, whereas others only speak about the matter, this President has taken direct action on an extremely complex issue, and that no one has done more to promote peace and stability in the region.
Macron has been criticised by certain politicians and activists in France for allegedly taking limited action since he recognised a Palestinian state last September.
Nonetheless, Paris has adopted a firmer position on violence by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, introducing some national sanctions and initiating a procedure to prohibit products originating from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Look at what is taking place in the West Bank, where abuses occur every day. In whose name are they being carried out? Hamas has never been active in the West Bank," Macron stated.
"What is happening there is building, day by day, the impossibility of a project that should be based on respect for the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to exist."
France’s relationship with Israel has become especially tense over the past year. Macron stated that anyone who thinks Israel can guarantee its security by infringing on the sovereignty of all its neighboring countries is wrong.
They are undermining Israel's security, both now and in the long term,
With seven months remaining before France’s next presidential election, Macron was making his final appearance, having first taken to the podium in 2017.
Macron, a firm supporter of the multilateral system and the United Nations, cautioned against a global "return to the law of the jungle," stating that nations now confront a choice between a world ruled by force and coercion and a "civilized international community."
"Our duty, more than ever, is to stand alongside the United Nations. We cannot accept the new order of impunity that some would like to build," he said.
He ended his speech with "Long Live the United Nations!"
