Macron Says West Bank Annexation Would Cross a ‘Red Line’

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday issued a stern warning that any Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank would cross a “red line” and trigger a coordinated response from Europe. His remarks came as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Paris, one month into a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas following the militant group’s October 7, 2023 attack, which had sparked two years of intense conflict.

Abbas, 89, the longtime head of the Palestinian Authority, currently governs limited areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and is being considered for a potential role in Gaza under the recent ceasefire arrangement. During a joint press conference with Abbas, Macron emphasized that any attempt at partial or full annexation of the West Bank, whether legal or de facto, would be met with strong opposition from France and its European partners. “Plans for partial or total annexation… constitute a red line to which we will respond strongly with our European partners,” he stated.

The French president also highlighted the increasing violence in the West Bank, citing escalations by Israeli settlers and accelerated settlement projects that he said are destabilizing the region and violating international law. “The violence of the settlers and the acceleration of settlement projects are reaching new heights, threatening the stability of the West Bank and constitute violations of international law,” Macron added.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, violence in the West Bank has surged. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 1,002 Palestinians, including militants, have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers. During the same period, 43 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians in the West Bank, according to official Israeli sources.

Following discussions on post-ceasefire arrangements, Macron and Abbas announced the establishment of a joint committee aimed at consolidating the state of Palestine. Macron explained that the committee “will contribute to the drafting of a new constitution,” a preliminary draft of which Abbas had presented during their meeting. The initiative signals Paris’ active diplomatic involvement in supporting Palestinian governance and stability in the West Bank and potentially Gaza.