Efe Ozkan
12 February 2025•Update: 12 February 2025
ISTANBUL
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for “respect” for Palestinians, rejecting US President Donald Trump’s reported plans for the mass deportation of Gazans.
Speaking to CNN on Tuesday, Macron said: "You cannot say to 2 million people, 'okay, now guess what? You will move'," emphasizing that this is not a matter of “real estate” but a “political operation.”
Macron also said any “efficient” response to rebuilding Gaza “doesn’t mean automatically that you should lack respect to people or countries,” highlighting the wishes of Palestinians to remain in their homelands and the unwillingness of both Jordan and Egypt to accept large numbers of Gazan refugees.
France has voiced support for "Israel’s right to defend itself" following Oct. 7, 2023, while Macron criticize Israeli operations and policies on multiple occasions.
“I always reiterated my disagreement with (Israeli) Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Macron said. “I don’t believe, once again, that such a massive operation targeting sometimes civilian people is the right answer.”
France suspended arms exports to the Israel Defense Forces in October 2024, calling on other nations to follow suit.
On Feb. 4, Trump announced at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US intended to seize Gaza and relocate its Palestinian population to neighboring countries, including Egypt and Jordan.
Trump’s plan has faced widespread rejection from Palestinians, Arabs, and the international community while receiving significant political support within Israel across various factions.
The Israeli attacks have killed over 48,200 Palestinians and devastated Gaza since the war on the enclave began on Oct. 7, 2023.
