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Israel Accuses Macron of ‘Crusade Against the Jewish State’ Over Gaza Aid Criticism, Settlement Sanctions Threat
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers the keynote address at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, May 30, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Edgar Su
Israel has accused French President Emmanuel Macron of waging a “crusade against the Jewish state” after the French leader called on European nations to adopt a tougher stance toward Israel over its handling of humanitarian aid in Gaza.
“President Macron’s Crusade Against the Jewish State Continues,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on X. “The facts do not interest Macron. There is no humanitarian blockade. That is a blatant lie.”
President Macron’s Crusade Against the Jewish State Continues.
The facts do not interest Macron.
There is no humanitarian blockade.
That is a blatant lie.
Israel is currently facilitating the entry of aid to Gaza through two parallel efforts.In the first effort, nearly 900 aid… pic.twitter.com/cUr3xthnRK
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) May 30, 2025
Speaking at a press conference in Singapore on Friday, Macron urged European countries to “harden the collective position” against Israel and warned of possible sanctions against Israeli settlers.
“The humanitarian blockade is creating a situation that is untenable on the ground,” the French leader said alongside Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. “If there is no response that meets the humanitarian situation in the coming hours and days, obviously, we will have to toughen our collective position.”
Israel has strongly denied allegations of causing starvation in Gaza, emphasizing that, prior to its recent blockade, it had consistently delivered substantial humanitarian aid to the enclave throughout the conflict.
In its statement, the ministry explained Israel is currently enabling two key initiatives to deliver humanitarian aid while bypassing Hamas — which Israeli officials have accused of diverting supplies to fund terrorism and profiting off the remainder.
The Israeli government has also argued that international agencies are unfit to manage aid distribution, claiming they allow Hamas to exploit the aid system.
According to the ministry, “nearly 900 aid trucks have already entered Gaza from Israel this week” as part of the first major effort to deliver humanitarian assistance to the war-torn enclave.
“Hundreds of these trucks are still waiting for the UN to collect and distribute them in Gaza,” the statement said.
The second initiative involves the newly launched Gaza Humanitarian Fund, backed by the US and international partners, which “has already distributed two million meals and tens of thousands of aid packages” since beginning operations earlier this week, the ministry said.
As part of this operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) inspects the shipments at the Kerem Shalom border crossing. The aid is then distributed at designated centers in southern Gaza, secured by American contractors, while non-governmental organizations handle direct distribution to ensure Hamas does not divert the supplies.
“This direct aid to the population in Gaza — bypassing Hamas — is already changing the situation on the ground and has the potential to seriously harm the terrorists and shorten the war,” the ministry said in its statement.
The ministry also condemned Macron’s proposal for sanctions on Israeli settlers, emphasizing that Israel is “under attack on multiple fronts in an attempt to destroy it.”
“But instead of applying pressure on the jihadist terrorists, Macron wants to reward them with a Palestinian state. No doubt its national day will be Oct. 7,” the ministry said, referring to the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
During his two-day state visit to Singapore, Macron reaffirmed France’s commitment to a two-state solution while addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue – Asia’s leading defense forum.
“The existence of a Palestinian state is not just simply a moral duty but also a political necessity,” the French leader said.
Macron’s latest call for a Palestinian state came as Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed on Friday to build a “Jewish Israeli state” in the West Bank, following the government’s announcement of 22 new settlements in the territory.
“This is a decisive response to the terrorist organizations that are trying to harm and weaken our hold on this land – and it is also a clear message to Macron and his associates: they will recognize a Palestinian state on paper – but we will build the Jewish Israeli state here on the ground,” the Israeli official said.
The post Israel Accuses Macron of ‘Crusade Against the Jewish State’ Over Gaza Aid Criticism, Settlement Sanctions Threat first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Rubio Heads to Israel Amid Tensions Among US Middle East Allies
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to members of the media, before departing for Israel at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, September 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Nathan Howard/Pool
US President Donald Trump’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio headed to Israel on Saturday, amid tensions with fellow US allies in the Middle East over Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar and expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
Speaking to reporters before departure, Rubio reiterated that the US and President Donald Trump were not happy about the strikes.
Rubio said the US relationship with Israel would not be affected, but that he would discuss with the Israelis how the strike would affect Trump’s desire to secure the return of all the hostages held by Hamas, get rid of the terrorists and end the Gaza war.
“What’s happened, has happened,” he said. “We’re gonna meet with them. We’re gonna talk about what the future holds,” he said.
“There are still 48 hostages that deserve to be released immediately, all at once. And there is still the hard work ahead once this ends, of rebuilding Gaza in a way that provides people the quality of life that they all want.”
Rubio said it had yet to be determined who would do that, who would pay for it and who would be in charge of the process.
After Israel, Rubio is due to join Trump’s planned visit to Britain next week.
Hamas still holds 48 hostages, and Qatar has been one of the mediators, along with the US, trying to secure a ceasefire deal that would include the captives’ release.
On Tuesday, Israel attempted to kill the political leaders of Hamas with an airstrike on Doha. US officials described it as a unilateral escalation that did not serve American or Israeli interests.
The strike on the territory of a close US ally sparked broad condemnation from other Arab states and derailed ceasefire and hostage talks brokered by Qatar.
On Friday, Rubio met with Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani at the White House, underscoring competing interests in the region that Rubio will seek to balance on his trip. Later that day, US President Donald Trump held dinner with the prime minister in New York.
Rubio’s trip comes ahead of high-level meetings at the United Nations in New York later this month. Countries including France and Britain are expected to recognize Palestinian statehood, a move opposed by Israel.
Washington says such recognition would bolster Hamas and Rubio has suggested the move could spur the annexation of the West Bank sought by hardline members of the Israeli government.
ON Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an agreement to push ahead with a settlement expansion plan that would cut across West Bank land that the Palestinians seek for a state. Last week, the United Arab Emirates warned that this would cross a red line and undermine the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords that normalized UAE-Israel relations in 2020.
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Netanyahu Posts Message Appearing to Confirm Hamas Leaders Survived Doha Strike
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
i24 News – In a statement posted to social media on Saturday evening, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the Qatar-based leadership of Hamas, reiterating that the jihadist group had to regard for the lives of Gazans and represented an obstacle to ending the war and releasing the Israelis it held hostage.
The wording of Netanyahu’s message appeared to confirm that the strike targeting the Hamas leaders in Doha was not crowned with success.
“The Hamas terrorists chiefs living in Qatar don’t care about the people in Gaza,” wrote Netanyahu. “They blocked all ceasefire attempts in order to endlessly drag out the war.” He added that “Getting rid of them would rid the main obstacle to releasing all our hostages and ending the war.”
Israel is yet to officially comment on the result of the strike, which has incurred widespread international criticism.
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Trump Hosts Qatari Prime Minister After Israeli Attack in Doha
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani attends an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, following an Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, at UN headquarters in New York City, US, Sept. 11, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
US President Donald Trump held dinner with the Qatari prime minister in New York on Friday, days after US ally Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha.
Israel attempted to kill the political leaders of Hamas with an attack in Qatar on Tuesday, a strike that risked derailing US-backed efforts to broker a truce in Gaza and end the nearly two-year-old conflict. The attack was widely condemned in the Middle East and beyond as an act that could escalate tensions in a region already on edge.
Trump expressed annoyance about the strike in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sought to assure the Qataris that such attacks would not happen again.
Trump and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani were joined by a top Trump adviser, US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
“Great dinner with POTUS. Just ended,” Qatar’s deputy chief of mission, Hamah Al-Muftah, said on X.
The White House confirmed the dinner had taken place but offered no details.
The session followed an hour-long meeting that al-Thani had at the White House on Friday with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
A source briefed on the meeting said they discussed Qatar’s future as a mediator in the region and defense cooperation in the wake of the Israeli strikes against Hamas in Doha.
Trump said he was unhappy with Israel’s strike, which he described as a unilateral action that did not advance US or Israeli interests.
Washington counts Qatar as a strong Gulf ally. Qatar has been a main mediator in long-running negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and for a post-conflict plan for the territory.
Al-Thani blamed Israel on Tuesday for trying to sabotage chances for peace but said Qatar would not be deterred from its role as mediator.