World leaders commemorate Oct 7 attacks, reaffirm support for Israel

Governments and political leaders around the world marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel on Wednesday with statements honoring its victims, condemning the atrocities and reaffirming their opposition to antisemitism and terrorism.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem said the United States honors the memory of “the innocent lives murdered by Hamas terrorists” and “the heroes who risked everything to save others.” The statement, posted on 𝕏, concluded: “We remember. We stand with Israel.”

French President Emmanuel Macron also commemorated the attack, noting that 51 French citizens were killed in what he described as “the barbaric terrorist attacks by Hamas.”

France shares “the grief of the State of Israel and the bereaved families,” Macron wrote, reiterating his government's commitment to “combating antisemitism and terrorism, everywhere and always, working for peace and the security of all.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was in Israel to mark the anniversary. In a social media post, he described Oct. 7 as “the worst antisemitic massacre since the Shoah” and vowed that France “will never forget” the victims.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on 𝕏: “We must confront antisemitism with even greater resolve. Jewish women and men should be able to live here without fear.”

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham commemorated those killed by Hamas on Oct. 7, while warning of what he called a “disturbing rise” in antisemitic behavior in the UK since the attack. He said abuse and violence against Britain’s Jewish community “will not be tolerated.”

European Council President António Costa said the European Union (EU) pays “tribute to the Israeli and foreign citizens massacred that day and stand with their families and loved ones.”

“We also remember the injured and those taken hostage. We will never forget. Nothing can justify such terror, and it must never happen again,” Costa wrote. He added that the EU “will always defend Israel’s right to exist in peace and security” and that “the two-State solution remains the only viable path to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

EU Foreign Policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on 𝕏: “The 7 October attacks were a barbaric act of terror. Today, we stand with Israel in remembering every life taken and destroyed at the hands of the Hamas terrorists. Our thoughts are with the victims, the survivors, their families and all those who continue to carry the pain of that terrible day." Her post continued: "We must firmly reject any form of antisemitism across Europe. Jewish communities must be able to live openly, safely and without fear. Hamas brought unspeakable suffering to the Israeli people and left devastation in its wake. Hamas must disarm so that the Gaza Peace Plan [can] to move forward."

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten condemned the Oct. 7 attack while also noting that “tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army since the Hamas attack.”

He said the entire Middle East had entered a “spiral of conflict and misery,” adding that “there is no goal that justifies this violence, and above all, no suffering that is alleviated by it. All grieving families know this, both Israeli and Palestinian. They live in fear and insecurity. I wish them peace. In their land and in their hearts.”

Geert Wilders, founder and leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom, accused Jetten of being “no friend but a traitor to Israel and the Jewish people with your boycotts, condemnations, ICC support and sanctions.”

“And you leave our own borders wide open so that what happened in Israel can happen here tomorrow too. Get lost with your cheap hypocritical nonsense,” Wilders wrote.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong mentioned Galit Carbone, an Australian citizen killed on Oct. 7, in a statement describing “Hamas’ horrific terror attacks on Israel.”

“Our thoughts remain with her loved ones and all affected by Hamas’ abhorrent acts,” Wong wrote. “We continue to work to combat antisemitism and terror in all its forms.”

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša wrote on 𝕏 that on Oct. 7, “Palestinian terrorists unleashed unspeakable barbarism on Israel,” killing men, women and children because of their Israeli nationality.

“We remember the victims. We stand with their families, with the people of Israel and with Jewish communities around the world,” he wrote. “We must continue to speak out against every attempt to justify, excuse or relativise the atrocities of that day. As well as against the antisemitism that too often lies behind such attempts,” he continued. “Terrorism can never be justified. Antisemitism must never be tolerated. Never again is not merely a promise. It is a duty.”