France to recognise Palestine in weeks, says Macron
The French president, who has been pushing Western nations to quickly recognise Palestinian statehood, said on Thursday he would formalise the decision at the next UN General Assembly in under two months' time.
'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,' Mr Macron wrote on X.
Amid growing international anger over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, he said, 'the urgency today is to end the war… and to provide aid to the civilian population'.
'It is essential to build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability, and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,' he added. 'There is no alternative.'
The decision drew a furious response from Israeli politicians, with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the move 'rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became'.
'A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it. Let's be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,' he added.
Gideon Sa'ar, the foreign minister, said: 'The French president's pretension to conjure a permanent settlement in our land with a mere breath is absurd and unserious.'
Israel Katz, the defence minister, described the statement as a 'disgrace, surrender to terror, and a prize and wind at the back of the murderers and rapists of Hamas'.
'We will not allow the creation of a Palestinian entity that harms our security and risks our existence and hurts our historic rights to the Land of Israel,' he added.
Mr Macron offered support for Israel after the Oct 7 2023 massacre and has often spoken out against growing anti-Semitism in France.
However, he has become increasingly frustrated with its war in Gaza in recent months.
'There must be an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and massive humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,' he wrote in the post on Thursday.
'The French people want peace in the Middle East. It is up to us, the French, together with the Israelis, the Palestinians, and our European and international partners, to demonstrate that it is possible.'
He also sent a letter to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, informing him of his intent.
The statement came hours after Israel-Hamas peace talks in Qatar collapsed, with Mr Netanyahu withdrawing its team after studying Hamas's latest response to its proposals.
Sir Keir Starmer earlier on Thursday said the Palestinian people have an 'inalienable right' to a state of their own, in a statement that fell short of a promise to declare statehood.
The Labour Government backs recognising Palestine, but has argued for months that it should be done at the right moment to further peace in the region.
Sir Keir said: 'We are clear that statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.
'A ceasefire will put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis.'
The Prime Minister said he would hold emergency talks with France and Germany over Gaza within the next 24 hours, describing the situation in the war-ravaged enclave as 'unspeakable and indefensible'.
'I will hold an emergency call with E3 partners [France and Germany] tomorrow, where we will discuss what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need, while pulling together all the steps necessary to build a lasting peace,' Sir Keir said.
'We all agree on the pressing need for Israel to change course and allow the aid that is desperately needed to enter Gaza without delay.'
It was reported in early June that Mr Macron was lobbying Britain and France to recognise the State of Palestine at a UN conference that month.
However, the meeting was postponed following the outbreak of hostilities between Iran and Israel.
Mr Macron also pressured Sir Keir to formally recognise a Palestinian state before his recent visit to Britain.
Spain, Ireland and Norway recognised Palestine in May last year, provoking furious condemnation from Israel, which withdrew its ambassadors from the three nations' capitals and said the decision amounted to a 'reward for terrorism'.
The US also does not currently recognise the State of Palestine, in contrast to 147 of the 193 UN member nations.
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