Even France could soon join the group of nations that recognize Palestine. This was announced by President Emmanuel Macron, according to which recognition should take place in June. “We must go to a recognition, and therefore in the coming months we will do it,” he announced in an interview on France 5, aired yesterday (Wednesday 9 April).
The step could take place on the occasion of a conference that Paris will copy with Saudi Arabia to the United Nations in New York, a conference that also has the aim of relaunching a dynamic of mutual recognition between Israel and several countries that have not done so so far.
The recognition will be “because I think that at a certain point it will be right and because I also want to participate in a collective dynamic that should allow all those who defend Palestine to recognize Israel in turn, which many of them are not doing”, observed the head of state.
The criticisms of Israel
The Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, condemned the potential recognition by Paris. “Unilateral recognition” of a fictitious Palestinian state, by any country, in the reality that we all know, would be a prize to terror and an injection of trust for Hamas “, wrote Sa’ar in a post on X, without directly mentioning France. “This type of actions will not approach peace, security and stability in our region, but on the contrary: it will only further remove them,” he added, according to the Times of Israel reports.
The initiative instead received the immediate support of the Palestinian authority, which defined a possible French move “a step in the right direction” and “consistent with the defense of the rights of the Palestinian people”.
Macron stressed that such recognition would also be “a way to fight against those who denote Israel’s right to exist, as Iran does”, and reiterated the need for a commitment to collective security of the region. In this context, he also referred to the need for the defenders of the Palestinian cause to recognize Israel.
The plan for Gaza
During his visit to Cairo, Macron expressed support for the Arab initiative for Gaza, prepared by Egypt. The plan provides for the reconstruction of the strip without the movement of its 2.4 million inhabitants, excludes Hamas and hopes for the return of the Palestinian authority, ousted from the strip in 2007.
The French president also reiterated his opposition to Donald Trump’s project to transform Gaza into the “Riviera del Middle East”, underlining that “the Gaza Strip is not a real estate project”.
On the humanitarian level, Macron asked for a new ceased for the fire of “Quaranta or fifty days” to face the crisis in the strip, where Israel resumed military operations on March 18 after two months of respite. The president also urged the liberation of a dozen hostages, in line with the interviews between Egypt, Qatar and Hamas.
According to Macron, “the Hamas movement will not be eliminated by military way”. The president called him “a hydra” and hoped for a negotiated solution that includes the exit of his main managers from Gaza, involving Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye.
The reactions in France
Macron’s announcement was welcomed well in the French political landscape, even if some contrary voices have risen. Former socialist president François Hollande spoke of “good process” if the double recognition of Israel and Palestine will be guaranteed. The president of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, said he was in favor of a two-states solution, but asking for “security guarantees for both”.
The radical left has enthusiastically accepted Macron’s declaration. “Enfin!“Finally, Mathilde Panot, group leader De exulted France Insoumisewhile Olivier Faure, the first secretary of the Socialist Party, has defined the announcement a tool to “put pressure on a far -right Israeli government that has long demonstrated his inhumanity”.
Of opposite opinion the RELEASE National by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. The vice -president Sébastien Chenu defined the “premature” announcement, underlining that the current Palestinian state is “supported by Hamas”, a movement considered terrorist organization by the United States, EU and Israel. “It is a dangerous signal: make terrorism and we will recognize you of the rights,” he attacked.
Currently, about 150 countries recognize the Palestinian state. Only in the last year Ireland, Norway and Spain have been added, followed by Slovenia.
