The Israeli government has accused French President Emmanuel Macron of "leading a crusade against the Jewish state." "Instead of putting pressure on jihadist terrorists, Macron wants to reward them with the recognition of the State of Palestine," said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Gideon Moshe Sa'ar.
"There is no doubt that October 7 would be their national holiday," added the Israeli minister, in an escalation of the war of words of the last two weeks, which began when Benjamin Netanyahu accused France, United Kingdom, and Canada of "taking the side of Hamas."
The Israeli reaction came hours after Macron's press conference during his visit to Singapore, where he stated that the recognition of the State of Palestine "is not only a moral duty but a political necessity."
The French President urged European countries to "harden their collective position" if Israel does not respond "to the humanitarian situation in Gaza." Macron warned that this hardening should result in "the application of sanctions in the coming hours and days."
"If we do not do that, we will lose credibility in the world," added Macron, who intensified his criticism against Israel after a visit to Egypt last month, where he anticipated France's (along with the United Kingdom) readiness to recognize the State of Palestine during a conference in the United States sponsored by Saudi Arabia.
The Israeli Foreign Minister extended his criticism to "Macron and his friends" and emphatically stated: "There is no humanitarian blockade in Gaza; it is a blatant lie."