From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Macron claims at UN: Hamas ‘has never been active in the West Bank’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, French President Emanuel Macron claims that “Hamas has never been active in the West Bank,” prompting pushback in Israel.
“Look at what’s happening in the West Bank, where day in and day out we are seeing violations, and in the name of what?” he says. “Hamas has never been active in the West Bank.”
Hamas does not rule the West Bank like it does Gaza, but has long had a presence there and has carried out attacks in the area against Israelis.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says in response that “President Macron is lying.”
“This week, on Sunday, a vile terrorist from the Hamas terror organization murdered Netanel Shukrun, who was bathing with his sons in a spring ahead of Yom Kippur,” Smotrich writes. “This is just one attack out of hundreds of attacks carried out by the Hamas terror organization. The terror organization fuels Arab terrorism in Judea and Samaria, and it is a significant part of it and its operations.”
More from today’s Liveblog:
- Witkoff indicates talks with Iran weren’t direct, says mediators ‘shuttled’ between US and Iranian delegations
- French official to ToI: Macron meant that Hamas does not govern the West Bank
- ‘Won’t accept international hypocrisy’: Eisenkot slams Macron’s false claim that Hamas has ‘never been active’ in West Bank
The Times of Israel Community.