‘Crusade Against the Jewish State’: Israel Counters Macron’s Call for Hardened Stance on Israel

Latest Developments

• Israel Hits Back at Macron: Israel has countered French President Emmanuel Macron’s accusation that the Jewish state has imposed a “humanitarian blockade” in Gaza that is “creating an untenable situation on the ground.” Macron warned that “if there is no response that meets the humanitarian situation” soon, “we will have to toughen our collective position,” adding that France would consider applying sanctions against Israeli citizens living in the West Bank. Israel’s Foreign Ministry accused Macron of leading a “crusade against the Jewish State,” asserting that “there is no humanitarian blockade” and that “Israel is currently facilitating the entry of aid to Gaza through two parallel efforts.” Separately, France is preparing to co-host a conference with Saudi Arabia in June pushing the creation of an independent Palestinian state — a move the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem said would amount to a “reward for Hamas’s shocking [October 7, 2023] attack on Israel.”
• Israeli Officials Assess Hamas Control Slipping Due to GHF: Israeli defense officials assess that Hamas is losing its control over the civilian population in Gaza following the launch of aid distribution by the U.S.-Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) this week. “Hamas repeatedly tried to … resist the [GHF] distribution plan to preserve its ability to control food,” one official said, adding that “the residents of the Gaza Strip … flocked en masse to the distribution centers, thereby breaking an initial barrier of public fear of Hamas, which undermines it governing component.” The goals of the GHF-led effort, according to the same official, are to prevent Hamas from diverting aid intended for civilians and to reduce the population’s dependence on the terrorist organization.
• GHF Provides Update After First Week of Operations: The GHF reported on May 30 that it has distributed 2.1 million meals from an initial four Safe Distribution Sites (SDSs) since the beginning of operations this week. SDS1, located in Tal Sultan near Rafah, distributed 332,640 meals on May 30 alone. The GHF also addressed what it called “continued misinformation” about deaths and chaos at the sites, asserting that “no civilians involved in the distribution of aid were injured, no lives were lost, and all available food was distributed without interference this week.”

FDD Expert Response

“The newly implemented aid mechanism has stripped Hamas of a key source of leverage over the Palestinian population. While this is just one component of a broader strategy, it has contributed to the erosion of Hamas’s authority in Gaza. The Islamist group now finds itself in a strategically unfavorable position in Gaza, one it likely did not anticipate when its leadership, much of which has since been eliminated, orchestrated the October 7 attack.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“If France and other European countries want to help the Palestinians, they should focus their efforts on eliminating Hamas, the group that has brought nothing but misery to both Palestinians and Israelis. Pushing forward with Palestinian statehood would show the Palestinians that the only way to achieve their objectives is through violence — and Hamas would take credit. This move would help resuscitate Hamas and further undermine the possibility of direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis on achieving Palestinian autonomy.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

FDD Background and Analysis

“Deaths Reported as Chaos Engulfs WFP Warehouse in Gaza,” FDD Flash Brief

“Weathering International Criticism, GHF Continues Aid Distribution Operation in Gaza,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘Agents of the Occupation:’ Hamas Threatens Civilians Who Accept Aid From Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Allows Aid Into Gaza as Operation Gideon’s Chariots Begins,” FDD Flash Brief