PARIS: France will recognise a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly, President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday (Jul 24), a move aimed at reviving momentum for a two-state solution but one that drew immediate condemnation from Israel.
In a letter addressed to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and posted on social media, Macron confirmed France’s decision and said it would encourage others to follow.
“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine,” Macron said. “I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”
France would become the first major Western country to formally recognise a Palestinian state, potentially strengthening a campaign previously led by smaller, more critical nations of Israel’s conduct in the region.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
ISRAEL CONDEMNS MOVE
The announcement was met with sharp rebuke from Israeli leaders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy”.
“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it,” Netanyahu wrote on social media. “Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the move as “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism”, and said Israel would not allow the creation of a Palestinian entity that threatens its security.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Israeli warnings to France have ranged from scaling back intelligence sharing to obstructing French diplomatic initiatives in the region. Some Israeli officials have even hinted at the possible annexation of parts of the West Bank.
Washington has also voiced concern. In a diplomatic cable sent in June, the United States warned that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state could run counter to American foreign policy interests and may trigger consequences.
