France announces that it will recognize the state of Palestine. Anger in Israel, Hamas greets “Positive Pass”
Emmanuel Macron Photo: Dominique Jacovides -Pool / SIPA Press / Profimedia
France will recognize the state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, in September, President Emmanuel Macron announced on social networks on Thursday, AFP reports.
“Fidel to his historical commitment to a fair and sustainable peace in the Middle East, I decided to recognize the state of Palestine. I will make the solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next year,” wrote the French state on X and Instagram, notes Agerpres.
France will then co-defend, together with Saudi Arabia, an international conference of the heads of state and government meant to relaunch the so-called “two states”, Palestinian and Israeli.
This conference, initially scheduled for June, was postponed at the last moment because of the war between Israel and Iran. Meanwhile, a meeting at the ministerial level will take place on July 28-29 in New York.
“The most urgent thing today is to end the war in Gaza and to save the civilian population,” the French president said on the X platform.
Israel criticizes the decision
The Israeli leaders harshly criticized the announcement made by French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, according to which France will recognize the Palestine state in September, AFP reports.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appreciated that this decision “rewards terror” and is an existential threat, offering a “launching ramp for annihilating” Israel.
“Let's be clear: Palestinians do not seek to create a state with Israel, but seek to create a state instead of Israel,” he added.
The Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also stated that “a Palestinian state will be a Hamas state”, referring to the Palestinian militants who attacked Israel in 2023, triggering the war in Gaza.
Hamas greets “Positive Pass”
The Palestinian Islamist Movement Hamas greeted the announcement of President Emmanuel Macron on Friday by France of a Palestine state, considering that it is a “positive step” and asking for other countries to follow this example, AFP reports.
“We believe that this is a positive step in the correct direction to bring justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and to support its legitimate right to self-determination,” Hamas wrote in a statement, asking “all countries in the world-especially to European nations and those who have not yet recognized the state of Palestine-to follow the example of France.”
So far, at least 142 states have recognized a Palestinian state, according to an AFP balance sheet. The United States and Israel are firmly opposed to such a plan.
