‘Europe must choose: Israel or Hamas,’ says Israel’s FM

Early last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote a letter to Macron, accusing him of encouraging antisemitism in his country by calling for international recognition of a Palestinian state.

By David Isaac, JNS

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Sunday that Europeans must pick a side—either stand with Israel or with jihadists.

“Europe must choose: Israel or Hamas. Every action against Israel directly serves the jihadist axis in the Middle East,” Sa’ar posted to X.

Israel’s foreign minister noted Hamas’s praise of Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp and of French President Emmanuel Macron for his efforts to build a coalition of states to recognize a Palestinian state.

Hamas described as “brave and ethical” the resignations of Veldkamp and the remaining Cabinet members of his New Social Contract Party on Aug. 22, after Veldkamp failed to push through sanctions against Israel at a Cabinet meeting.

“The resignations of these Dutch ministers reflect a principled stance that embodies humanitarian values and highlights commitment to the foundations of international law,” Hamas said in an Aug. 23 statement, according to The Palestinian Information Center.

Of Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state, Hamas said it was a “positive step” and a “move in the right direction towards achieving justice for the oppressed Palestinian people.”

Other European countries have already recognized a Palestinian state, including Ireland, Norway and Spain in May.

Hamas welcomed that decision as well.

“We consider this an important step towards affirming our right to our land,” the group said in a statement, calling “on countries around the world to recognize our legitimate national rights.”

Other countries have also announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state, including the United Kingdom, Malta, Canada and Australia.

Early last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote a letter to Macron, accusing him of encouraging antisemitism in his country by calling for international recognition of a Palestinian state.

Macron hit back on Aug. 19, describing as “abject” and “erroneous” Netanyahu’s accusation that his planned recognition fueled antisemitism.

“[France] protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens,” Macron said. His office said that Netanyahu’s letter “will not go unanswered,” according to the news site France 24.

However, Netanyahu’s criticism was seconded by the U.S. ambassador to France Charles Kushner, who in a letter published in The Wall Street Journal on Sunday accused Macron of contributing to escalating antisemitism through his harsh criticism of Israel and his intention to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September.

Such moves “embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France,” wrote Kushner. “In today’s world, anti-Zionism is antisemitism—plain and simple.”

He sharply criticized the Macron government for its lack of action amid a sharp increase in Jew hatred in the country since the Hamas-led attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Antisemitism has “long scarred French life,” Kushner wrote, but has “exploded” since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led massacre and amid the subsequent war in Gaza.

“Not a day passes without Jews assaulted in the street, synagogues or schools defaced, or Jewish-owned businesses vandalized,” the letter states.