In a major shift, Emmanuel Macron said France will move to formally recognize the state of Palestine in the coming months.
The French president said in a TV interview Wednesday that recognition of a Palestinian state could encourage adversaries of Israel, such as Iran or Saudi Arabia, to grant it recognition.
“We must move toward recognition, and we will do so in the coming months,” Macron told the France 5 station. “I will do it…because I believe that at some point it will be right and because I also want to participate in a collective dynamic, which must also allow all those who defend Palestine to recognise Israel in turn, which many of them do not do.”
He added that the decision would allow France to “commit ourselves to collective security in the region.”
The step would mark a significant change for France, which is home to Europe’s largest Jewish community and has long been a close ally of Israel — acting as one of the country’s largest arms suppliers early in its history. Israel, in turn, is home to a growing population of French immigrants.
Macron’s statement comes almost a year after three other European countries — Norway, Spain and Ireland — jointly recognized a Palestinian state. Israel’s parliament overwhelmingly rejected the idea of establishing a Palestinian state last summer, and a poll last year found that only a slim minority of Israelis believe a Palestinian state could coexist peacefully with Israel.
The move may be contentious within France: Two weeks ago, a rival to Macron, the far-right French leader Jordan Bardella, visited Israel and spoke at a conference against antisemitism, where he spoke of “a time of relentless war in the face of barbarism, which is also our fight.” (The visit was a landmark moment for Bardella, whose party was previously led by a man convicted of Holocaust denial.)
This is far from Macron’s first foray into Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy. He has previously worked toward a two-state solution, and, shortly after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to initiate a peace process with Palestinians.
In March, he announced a joint conference with Saudi Arabia on a two-state solution, which is where he said the recognition of Palestine could be announced. Israel has long sought ties with Saudi Arabia, but the kingdom has said repeatedly that any agreement with Israel must be predicated on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
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