French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly opposed the idea of forcibly relocating Palestinians from Gaza, dismissing it as a “real estate operation” rather than a political solution.
His remarks come in response to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to “take over” Gaza and move its residents to neighboring countries.
“You cannot say to 2 million people, ‘okay, now guess what? You will move,’” Macron told CNN in an exclusive interview.
“The right answer is not a real estate operation, this is a political operation,” he added.
While France has supported Israel’s right to self-defense following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack, Macron has also criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon. In October 2024, France suspended arms exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and urged other nations to follow suit.
“I always reiterated my disagreement with (Israeli) Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Macron stated. “I don’t believe, once again, that such a massive operation targeting sometimes civilian people is the right answer.”
Trump’s proposal, which includes removing Palestinians from Gaza and redeveloping the territory, has sparked widespread international condemnation. The United Nations warned against what it called “ethnic cleansing,” while European leaders, including those from Germany and Spain, rejected the plan.
The UK has taken a more cautious stance, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy acknowledging Gaza’s devastation but reaffirming the need for a two-state solution. Meanwhile, France has firmly opposed any forced displacement, calling it a “destabilizing question in the Middle East.”
