French President Emmanuel Macron likes to say he is a “friend” of Israel. But when we set aside the rhetoric and examine the last 18 months of his policy moves, a different picture emerges — one in which Paris has consistently undercut Israel’s strategic position, elevated Egypt’s leverage over Gaza, and nudged Europe’s Middle East posture in a direction that limits Israeli autonomy.
The flag of the city of El-Arish in Egypt © Mena Today
French President Emmanuel Macron likes to say he is a “friend” of Israel. But when we set aside the rhetoric and examine the last 18 months of his policy moves, a different picture emerges — one in which Paris has consistently undercut Israel’s strategic position, elevated Egypt’s leverage over Gaza, and nudged Europe’s Middle East posture in a direction that limits Israeli autonomy.
From the Sinai to the UN, the pattern is striking. Macron’s high-profile visit to El-Arish in April 2025 — complete with aid convoy photo-ops alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi — burnished Cairo’s image as Gaza’s indispensable humanitarian gateway.
Yet, he pointedly avoided confronting Egypt about ongoing smuggling and porous border controls, even after Israeli forces intercepted drones carrying weapons from Egyptian territory into Gaza.
The same selective diplomacy was visible in June, when French authorities shut down Israeli defense industry booths at the Paris Air Show. Ostensibly about exhibition rules, it was also a calculated signal: France would publicly distance itself from Israel’s war conduct at a globally visible moment.
Then came the boldest political stroke — Macron’s July announcement that France would recognize a Palestinian state at the UN in September.
This major diplomatic win for the Palestinian Authority came without any matching demand for Hamas disarmament, verified border controls, or security guarantees for Israel.
Most recently, Macron’s August call for a UN-mandated international coalition to take over Gaza’s security and governance would, if realized, strip Israel of direct control over its most dangerous border seam. Egypt — already asserting itself over the Rafah crossing and Philadelphi Corridor — would gain significant influence under such an arrangement.
These are not isolated episodes.
Together, they elevate Egypt as the central gatekeeper to Gaza, weaken Israel’s control of key access points, and set a precedent for Western powers to bypass Israel in core security matters.
The result? Hamas benefits from an erosion of Israeli oversight, and Cairo becomes an unavoidable power broker.
Macron’s public language of balance and friendship with Israel rings hollow when set against this record. It is the sort of “friendship” that changes the locks on your front door — and hands the spare key to the neighbor you least trust.
In Middle East diplomacy, symbolism matters, but so does the cumulative weight of decisions. For Israel, Macron’s course is more than symbolic — it is strategic, and it is shifting the ground beneath its feet.
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