The “urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population,” according to French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced Thursday that France will take steps to recognize the state of Palestine in September.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s intention to formally recognize a Palestinian state at a September UN summit has been denounced by the US and Israel. The actions of France were described by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a “slap in the face to the victims of the October 7 attack.” The recognition of a Palestinian state, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “rewards terror” and threatens Israel’s existence.
142 nations currently recognize or intend to recognize Palestinian statehood, including France, the most powerful European country to make such an announcement. International concern about the worsening situation of the over two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli military actions have caused a severe humanitarian catastrophe and mass famine warnings, has prompted the move.
Israel has denied claims that it is to blame for the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza, which France attributes to an Israeli “blockade” and the World Health Organization (WHO) refers to as “man-made.”
US Remarks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced Macron’s action as a “reckless decision (that) only serves Hamas propaganda” or similar.
“The plan by @EmmanuelMacron to recognize a Palestinian state at the @UN general assembly is vehemently opposed by the United States. This careless choice simply undermines peace and promotes Hamas propaganda. In reference to the Islamist group’s 2023 attack on Israel that set off the Gaza War, he commented on X, “It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”
Israel’s Response
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his anger at Macron’s announcement, claiming that it “risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became” and that it would be “a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it.”
“A black mark on French history and a direct aid to terrorism” is how Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin described France’s action.
France’s “shameful decision” meant that it was “time to apply Israeli sovereignty” to the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, according to Levin, who is also the justice minister.
Hamas Applauds the Action
The action “reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state,” said Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior official with the Palestinian Authority.
Hamas welcomed Macron’s statement as a “positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and supporting their legitimate right to self-determination” .
“We call on all countries of the world–especially European nations and those that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine — to follow France’s lead,” it continued.
France’s Action
As the “urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population,” Macron declared on Thursday that France would take steps to recognize the state of Palestine in September.
“We must finally 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 said to social media.
Since Israel began bombarding Gaza almost two years ago in retaliation for the Hamas attacks, a number of nations have declared their intention to recognize Palestinian statehood, with France being the most prominent European power to do so.
What Other Countries Are Doing
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said a truce would “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state” and that he will speak with his French and German counterparts on Friday about efforts to halt the bloodshed.
Following the start of the Gaza conflict, Norway, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia, along with a number of other non-European nations, all declared their recognition.
Macron’s declaration was applauded by Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister of Spain, whose nation already recognizes Palestinian sovereignty. “We have to work together to defend what Netanyahu is attempting to destroy. The Socialist leader, who has been vocal in his criticism of Israel’s Gaza offensive, wrote on X that “the two-state solution is the only solution.”
The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia also called Macron’s announcement “historic” and encouraged other nations to do the same.
Simon Harris, the foreign minister of Ireland, described France’s action as “the only lasting basis for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike” in a post on X.
The health ministry in the Hamas-controlled region of Gaza reports that Israel’s military operation has killed 59,587 Palestinians, the majority of whom were civilians.
An AFP count based on official numbers shows that 1,219 persons, mostly civilians, were killed in Hamas’ October 2023 attack on Israel.
