Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his rejection of a Palestinian state during a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a Tuesday statement from the former's office.
Netanyahu told Macron that establishing a Palestinian state would serve as a "huge prize for terror," highlighting that not a single Palestinian leader, including those from the Palestinian Authority, has denounced Hamas' October 7, 2023 attacks.
On his side, Macron said that a ceasefire was the only way to ensure the release of the hostages still held by Hamas and that the suffering of Gazan civilians "must end." Recently, he indicated that France might acknowledge a Palestinian state in June.
