The US firmly opposes France’s recognition of Palestine, while Saudi Arabia applauds the “historic decision”
Saudi Arabia hailed the action as a historic step, while the US has steadfastly resisted France’s recognition of Palestine.
In a scathing response that highlights the growing international divide over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state “reckless.”
At the September UN General Assembly, Macron declared on Thursday that France would formally recognize the state of Palestine. In a letter to Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, he broke the news and promised to encourage other nations to follow France’s example.
Macron tweeted, “I have decided that France will recognize the state of Palestine in keeping with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.” “Next September, at the United Nations General Assembly, I will make this solemn announcement.”
The first big Western country to do so would be France, which has the largest Jewish and Muslim populations in Europe. This action could inspire smaller countries that have long been critical of Israel to follow suit.
But Israel and Washington reacted angrily to the announcement.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, vehemently denounced the decision, claiming that it “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy.” “Under these circumstances, a Palestinian state would be a launching pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace alongside it,” he wrote on X. It should be made plain that the Palestinians want a state in place of Israel, not alongside it.
The idea was also criticized by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who described it as “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism.” Israel will not allow the establishment of a “Palestinian entity that would harm our security [and] endanger our existence,” he continued.
Washington “strongly rejects [Macron’s] plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, echoing Israel’s worries. “This careless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace,” he wrote in a post on X. It is a slap in the face to the people who were hurt on October 7.
Macron’s announcement, on the other hand, was welcomed by Saudi Arabia, which described it as a “historic” move toward regional peace and justice for the Palestinian people.
Jean-Noel Barrot, the foreign minister of France, supported the idea, stating that it was in opposition to Hamas’s goals. “Hamas has consistently rejected the idea of a two-state solution. “France opposes that terrorist organization by acknowledging Palestine,” he wrote on X.
