United States President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where they sparred over the future of Gaza and Palestinian statehood.
According to CNN, Trump rejected the two-state solution, arguing it would “reward” Hamas. His remarks came as France recently joined the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal in formally recognizing a Palestinian state.
At the start of their bilateral meeting, Trump praised Macron’s diplomatic efforts, crediting the French leader with helping him “prevent global conflicts.” Macron, however, had earlier said that if Trump wanted a Nobel Peace Prize, he should “put an end to the war in Gaza.”
When pressed on Palestinian statehood, Trump doubled down: “I think it honors Hamas, and you can’t do that because of October 7. You can’t do that. But we want our hostages back.”
Macron countered by stressing that recognition of a Palestinian state does not mean ignoring the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
The war in Gaza has raged since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, prompting a relentless Israeli military offensive in the enclave.
