Macron’s Middle East meltdown: The foreign face of a failed presidency

On May 19, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron, alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. 

The declaration accused Israel of “unacceptable” and “disproportionate” actions, demanded an immediate ceasefire, and warned of “consequences” — including diplomatic pressure — if Israel failed to comply. Macron’s government has since suspended arms exports to Israel and hinted at unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state, even as Hamas continues to hold hostages and launch rockets.

This move is not principled diplomacy — it’s dangerous appeasement.

It comes less than two years after Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, massacring over 1,200 people, raping women, slaughtering families, and kidnapping hundreds. That attack — the deadliest against Jews since the Holocaust — should have unified the West. Instead, Macron has chosen to vilify the victim, ignore the atrocity, and reward the aggressor.

Now, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot declaring France “determined” to recognize a Palestinian state regardless of Israel’s position, Macron has aligned himself with the likes of Spain and Ireland in giving Hamas exactly what it wanted: political legitimacy through violence.

But this isn’t just about the Middle East — it’s about Macron himself.

With his presidency faltering at home — amid economic stagnation, violent unrest, and rising Islamist radicalism — Macron has turned to foreign policy as a stage for relevance. But his record abroad is just as disastrous: marginalized in Ukraine, driven out of West Africa, and now disgraced in the Middle East.

He’s not leading France — he’s diminishing it.

France once stood for strategic clarity, democratic values, and global influence. Under Macron, it has become a power that turns its back on allies, emboldens enemies, and broadcasts weakness. His statements may win headlines, but they surrender long-term credibility.

While Macron’s Israel policy is a disgrace, Jerusalem will endure. But his betrayal will hasten France’s decline — and that is unforgivable.