France to recognise Palestinian state at UN assembly
France will recognise the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly in New York in September, president Emmanuel Macron has announced.
“Consistent with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron posted on X on Thursday.
France will co-chair an international conference at the UNGA with Saudi Arabia aimed at reviving the two-state solution between Palestine and Israel. The conference, originally scheduled for June, was postponed at the last minute due to the war between Israel and Iran. In the meantime, a ministerial-level meeting will be held next week in New York.
“We need an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and massive humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza,” Macron wrote.
“We must also ensure the demilitarization of Hamas, secure and rebuild Gaza. And finally, we must build the State of Palestine, guarantee its viability, and ensure that by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, it contributes to the security of all in the region.”
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the decision. “A Palestinian state under the current circumstances would be a springboard for destroying Israel,” he wrote on Thursday on X, saying that it “rewards terrorism”.
“Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state in place of Israel,” he said.
'Reckless'
The US State Department has announced that the country will not be represented at the UN conference on 27 and 28 July, with secretary of State Marco Rubio calling Macron’s decision “reckless”.
Hamas welcomed the French statement. “We consider it a positive step in the right direction to do justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and support their legitimate right to self-determination,” a spokesperson said.
In Belgium, the leader of francophone socialist party PS says the country should follow France’s example.
“If Macron can do it, there is no reason why Belgium cannot,” Paul Magnette wrote on Thursday on X. “Given the ongoing genocide, recognising Palestine is the only way to put pressure on the Netanyahu government and move forward towards peace.”
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez, a vocal critic of the Israeli offensive in Gaza, said the move would help “protect” a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy,” he wrote on X. “The two-state solution is the only solution.”
To date, at least 140 states have recognised Palestine, including EU member states Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden and Ireland. France is the first G7 nation to do so.
French president Emmanuel Macron meets Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in October 2023 © PHOTO CHRISTOPHE ENA / POOL / AFP
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