French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that turning a blind eye to the crisis in Gaza and offering Israel unchecked support would severely damage the West’s moral standing on the global stage.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue defence summit in Singapore on Friday, Macron stressed the need for consistency in the West’s approach to international conflicts.
“If we abandon Gaza or act as though Israel has a free pass—even while condemning terrorism—we undermine our credibility,” Macron said, adding that the West must avoid applying double standards in global affairs.
The French leader also acknowledged the limited influence of Western powers, including Europe and the United States, in resolving major geopolitical crises such as the killings in Gaza and Ukraine.
“I believe the credibility of both the US and Europeans in claiming to solve these regional crises is currently very low,” he remarked at the close of his tour of Southeast Asia.
Recent weeks have seen European Union leaders adopt stronger rhetoric against Israeli military operations in Gaza. On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described recent Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure as “abhorrent” and “disproportionate.”
However, the 27-nation EU has struggled to adopt a unified stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict due to longstanding internal divisions between member states more sympathetic to Israel and those advocating for Palestinian rights.
Gaza’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, with only limited aid reaching the enclave following over two months of near-total blockade by Israel. Experts have warned that one in five Gazans is now facing imminent starvation.
Israel, for its part, has ramped up its military invasion and airstrikes in Gaza, stating that it is part of a renewed effort to eliminate Hamas.
In response to Macron’s comments, Israel accused the French president on Friday of launching what it described as a “crusade against the Jewish state,” following his call for tougher European action should Gaza’s humanitarian situation remain unaddressed.
