The French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, recently criticized the Israeli government for what he described as "culpable and scandalous leniency" in its actions in the West Bank. Speaking on Sunday, September 27, during interviews with France Inter and France 2, Barrot condemned what he called "illegal colonization" and the "unprecedented explosion of violence by extremist settlers against Palestinians." His comments came in response to statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron at the United Nations, where Macron claimed that Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, is not active in the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority is based. Israel strongly criticized Macron's remarks, arguing they were misleading. Barrot reiterated his concerns about the situation in the West Bank, emphasizing the "unrestrained development of illegal colonization" and the "unprecedented explosion of violence" by extremist settlers. When asked directly about whether Hamas operates in the West Bank, Barrot declined to answer but stated that Hamas is a movement that originally administered Gaza. He added that whenever the Israeli government adopts a policy based on violence and shows contempt for Palestinian rights, it strengthens Hamas. He also said that Macron's argument is clear: the Israeli government's policies do not allow for weakening Hamas, neither in Gaza nor in the West Bank. The French minister argued that the only viable solution to the conflict is a two-state arrangement, where Israel and Palestine can live side by side in peace and security. He said that President Macron is correct in stating that the fight against Hamas and the goal of erasing it from Palestine's future cannot justify the Israeli government's lenient policies in the West Bank. Barrot added that all sincere observers would agree with France's position, which is that no other solutions exist to resolve the conflict. Regarding Israeli criticisms of France's stance, Barrot noted that some Israeli political leaders often take statements out of context to criticize France's position. He acknowledged that France's position differs from that of the current Israeli government, whose policies he believes undermine regional security, including the security of the Israeli people. He emphasized that France is firmly committed to the security of Israel and to upholding international law.