Tel Aviv: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has openly criticized France’s recent initiative to recognize a Palestinian state, suggesting that such a move would effectively serve as a ‘reward for terrorism.’
According to Anadolu Agency, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in an interview on France 5 television that France intends to recognize the state of Palestine, potentially making the declaration in June during an international conference co-chaired with Saudi Arabia. Sa’ar expressed his disapproval on X, stating that any ‘unilateral recognition’ of what he described as a ‘fictional Palestinian state’ is a misguided action that would embolden groups like Hamas rather than contribute to peace and stability in the region.
Macron emphasized the importance of moving towards recognition in the coming months. He proposed that the anticipated conference in New York, focusing on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, could be pivotal. “Our goal is to chair this conference (on Pales
tine) with Saudi Arabia sometime in June, where we could finalize this movement of mutual recognition by several parties,” he stated.
The discussion emerges in the context of increasing international appeals for a political resolution to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has seen significant casualties since October 2023. In February 2024, Macron reiterated that acknowledging a Palestinian state is a crucial moral and political step for France, arguing that it is a necessary acknowledgment of Palestinian aspirations and a gesture towards regional peace.
Currently, a majority of UN member states recognize Palestine, with recent endorsements from Spain, Ireland, and Norway last May, increasing the number of European Union countries recognizing Palestine to ten.