Emmanuel Macron, the French President, on Friday expressed a strong support for those advocating for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, asserting that such recognition is no longer a “taboo”, despite warnings from Israel. He made these remarks during his meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the Élysée.
In addition, Macron raised concerns about the “unprecedented humanitarian disaster” and a significant turning point that would result from an Israeli offensive against the Palestinian town of Rafah, where around one and a half million Palestinians are living under tough conditions near the Egypt border.
Since October 7, the conflict between the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and Israel, which escalated due to severe Israeli retaliations in Gaza, Paris has been advocating for a “two-state solution”. Macron is pleased that this long-standing idea is being reconsidered by the United States, and insists on pushing for a “decisive and irreversible momentum” towards it.
However, Macron has made a significant diplomatic move by threatening to endorse unilateral recognition if Israel does not show willingness to achieve the two-state solution through negotiations. He stated, “The recognition of a Palestinian state is not a taboo for France”.
Macron added that such recognition is owed to the Palestinians, whose aspirations have been overlooked for too long, and to the Israelis, who have experienced significant anti-Semitic violence. He also mentioned that it is owed to the region’s desire to break free from the chaos and revenge.
The diplomatic community has been advocating for mutual recognition by Israelis and Palestinians of two states living peacefully side by side for many years. However, this idea, which was central to US-led negotiations in the late 1990s and early 2000s, has been stagnant for years.
Nearly 140 countries have unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state, but none of the major Western powers or G7 members have done so. Recognition from France, Europe, or even America would carry significant diplomatic weight. Without peace or negotiations, the survival of such a state would be challenging, but this threat could apply additional pressure on Israel.
