Macron claims that France will acknowledge the Palestinian state in September
French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France will recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, saying that he hopes the move will contribute to regional peace.
Macron, who made the announcement on X, revealed a letter he wrote to Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, reaffirming France’s determination to be the first significant Western nation to recognize a Palestinian state.
“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine,” Macron stated.
“I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”
The first big Western nation to recognize a Palestinian state is France, which is home to the largest Jewish and Muslim communities in Europe. This might give a movement that has been led by smaller countries that are normally more critical of Israel more traction.
Washington and Israel are sure to be incensed by the decision.
The United States stated in a diplomatic cable in June that it was against any action that would recognize a Palestinian state on its own.
