The location at an overview: Criticism of Macron’s Palestine Plan – Deal for Gaza uncertain

France President Emmanuel Macron, with his announcement that he wants to recognize Palestine as a state, has attracted sharp criticism of Israel and his ally USA. “Such a step is rewarded terror,” said a statement by the office of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on the platform X: “This ruthless decision only serves the Hamas propaganda and throws peace back”. Meanwhile, it is uncertain how the efforts about a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip continue. The United States and Israel called back their respective negotiating delegations from Qatar.

Macron’s announcement is a slap in the face of the victims of the massacre of Islamist Hamas and other terrorist groups on October 7, 2023 in Israel, Rubio wrote. The attack, in which more than 250 people were deported to Gaza and more than 1,200 people were killed, was triggered by the war. Macron had shortly announced on X that he would announce the recognition of Palestine as a state at the UN General Assembly in September. Hamas welcomed Macron’s plans and called on all states to follow him.

US envoy: Hamas does not want ceasefire

The Islamist organization is not willing to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the US specialist Steve Witkoff wrote to X. Although the intermediaries had made great efforts, Hamas did not seem to be coordinated or honestly. “It is a shame that Hamas acted so selfish,” wrote Witkoff. “We will now check other options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable location for the people in Gaza”. Israel now also wants to advise on how to proceed. Hours earlier, Hamas had given the intermediaries an answer to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire.

A representative of the terrorist organization reacted surprised to Witkoff’s statements. According to the Islamists, the talks in Qatar had been positive. Shortly before the recall of the US negotiation team, it was said from Hamas circles, with a rapid answer of Israel, the way to an agreement could be followed within days. Now, for explanations by the intermediaries, they hope to understand what happened, it said. In a statement, the Islamist organization emphasized its willingness to continue negotiations to achieve a ceasefire.

Macron considers peace possible

“Peace is possible,” Macron wrote to X to recognize Palestine as a state in connection with his announcement. It is urgently needed to end the war in Gaza, to provide help to the civilian population and to ensure the demilitarization of Hamas. Israel’s head of the government stated that Macron’s procedure risk the creation of an Iranian deputy state, as the Gaza Strip had become under the Hamas. “A Palestinian state under these conditions would be a starting ramp to annihilate Israel,” says Netanyahu.

Norway as well as the EU countries Ireland and Spain also want to recognize Palestine as a state. Almost 150 UN member states already do this. Important western countries are not part of it, including the UN veto power of the USA and Great Britain. Palestine does not recognize Germany as a state either. “A Palestinian state will be a Hamas state,” said Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to X in response to Macron’s announcement. Israel is again not recognized by Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria.

Demonstrators in Israel demand the end of the war

It remains to be seen how things will continue in the war between Israel and Hamas. On the negotiating table there was a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, in the course of which the Hamas ten of the still living hostages would release. In Tel Aviv, thousands of people again took to the streets for an end to the war and the release of all hostages in the violence of the Islamists. “We are faced with difficult decisions,” said the father of an Israeli soldier killed in the war: “We can choose the path of war, hunger and death. We have to choose life.”

The hosts’ forum said that the relatives of the kidnapped were deeply concerned about the return of the Israeli negotiation team from the Qatarian capital Doha. “Another missed opportunity to leave all 50 hostages would be unforgivable,” said a statement. “It would be another moral, security policy and diplomatic failure in an endless chain of failures,” said the forum.

Report: Hamas demands release of massacre participants

According to Israeli information, there are still 50 hostages in the violence of Hamas, of which at least 20 are said to be alive. According to a report by the Israeli broadcaster KAN, Hamas is said to have asked for the first time in her response to the ceasefire proposal, the release of terrorists who were involved in the massacre on October 7, 2023.

According to other media reports, the terrorist organization is said to have requested that in return for the release of ten hostages recorded in Gaza, Palestinians who are convicted of lifelong imprisonment will expire. In addition, Israel had to let 2,000 Palestinians, who had been arrested since the beginning of the war, was said, it was said, citing mediators.