France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced in a Wednesday interview that France may recognize a Palestinian State in June. The move would make France the first permanent member of the UN Security Council to recognize a Palestinian state.
The French President stated that the move would be done as part of a broader conference in June that would simultaneously seek to bring about Saudi recognition of Israel.
“Our objective is somewhere in June, with Saudi Arabia, to chair this conference where we could finalise the movement towards reciprocal recognition by several countries,” Macron said.
Macron cast the potential recognition as part of a broader strategy against Iran. Macron added that the move would permit France “to be clear in our fight against those who deny Israel’s right to exist—which is the case with Iran—and to commit ourselves to collective security in the region.”
Last May, Macron indicated support for recognition of a Palestinian state at a “useful moment.” At the time Macron’s government seemed to indicate that the recognition would follow the conclusion of the ongoing war in Gaza and as part of a broader peace process.
Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, has denounced Macron’s proposal to recognize a Palestinian state, calling it a “prize for terror.”
Palestine is currently recognized by 147 of 193 UN member states. Last year, Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Slovenia all recognized Palestine.
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