In a remarkable historical step, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that France will formally recognize the State of Palestine, amid the escalation of international anger at the famine faced by civilians in Gaza, due to the continuous Israeli war.
A message to Abbas and continuous support for a two -state solution
Macron said in a post on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter) that he will officially announce the decision at the United Nations General Assembly next September, noting that “the maximum priority today is to stop the war in Gaza and save the civilian population.”
Macron pointed out that France, by virtue of its historical commitment to achieving a fair and sustainable peace in the Middle East, decided to recognize the State of Palestine, stressing that “peace is possible.” He also published a message he sent to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in which he informs him of the French decision.
A shift in the French position
Despite his support for Israel after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, and his frequent condemnation of anti -Semitism, Macron seemed more frustrated than the war on Gaza in recent months, due to the escalation of the numbers of civilian victims, and the continued Israeli restrictions to enter aid.
This decision comes after the United States announced the suspension of the ceasefire talks in Qatar, accusing Hamas of not seriousness, and France and more than twenty other European countries have condemned the Israeli restrictions on the delivery of aid and the killing of hundreds of Palestinians looking for food.
France leads the European position
With this declaration, France becomes the largest and most powerful European country that recognizes the State of Palestine, and thus the number of countries recognized in Palestine reaches 142, according to a census of Agence France -Presse, despite the severe opposition by Israel and the United States.
It is worth noting that France includes the largest Jewish community and the largest Muslim community in Western Europe, and the escalation in the Middle East often leads to internal tensions and protests in France.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not issue any immediate comment on the French decision.
The French Foreign Minister is scheduled to participate in a United Nations conference next week to discuss ways to achieve a two -state solution, an initiative that Macron pushes strongly.
