France will recognize the state of Palestine, announced the country's President Emmanuel Macron. "Today it is urgent to end the war in Gaza and save the civilian population", Macron wrote in X.
Demilitarized Palestine that recognizes Israel
There are conditions for this, the French president explained. First, a ceasefire must be achieved, then all hostages must be released and humanitarian aid must reach the people of Gaza "immediately". Hamas must demilitarize so that the Gaza Strip can be restored, Macron also said. Demilitarized Palestine must officially recognize the state of Israel and work to contribute to security in the Middle East. "There is no other alternative", Macron said.
The French president also published a letter he wrote to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas. According to Macron, Abbas condemned the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, and called for the hostages to be released. The Palestinian Authority leader said he really wants the Gaza Strip to be linked to his jurisdiction and elections to be held in the enclave next year.
Sharp reactions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the French initiative, calling it "a move that benefits terrorism and risks creating another proxy for Iran." The United States also condemned Macron's decision. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it "reckless".
At the same time, the Palestinian Authority welcomed the decision, and representatives of the terrorist group Hamas called it "a positive step in the right direction".
Diplomatic efforts
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot will organize a UN conference in the Middle East to discuss the two-state solution in the coming week. Macron has mentioned the possibility of organizing such a diplomatic initiative before. Norway, Ireland and Spain also recently recognized the independence of Palestine. Nearly 150 other UN states already recognize Palestine. However, countries that have veto power at the UN do not recognize the country - among them the United States, Britain and Germany. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria do not recognize Israel.
Shortly before French President Macron's statement, the United States and Israel announced that talks to establish a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had been suspended. US President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, explained that the reason for this was that Hamas "is not acting in good faith" and has no interest in reaching a ceasefire.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to hold a telephone conversation with his allies from France and Germany to coordinate a solution to the critical situation in the Gaza Strip. Starmer also said that statehood is the "inalienable right of the Palestinian people". He said a ceasefire agreement would lead to the recognition of a Palestinian state.