France to Recognize Palestinian Statehood at Upcoming UN General Assembly
French President Emmanuel Macron announced this week that France will officially recognize Palestinian statehood, becoming the first G7 country to do so. This recognition will be made during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September, reports 24brussels.
In his statement, Macron emphasized the urgent need to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza and provide humanitarian assistance to affected civilians. “The urgency today is to end the war in Gaza and to provide aid to the civilian population,” he stated. He called upon the French people, alongside Israelis, Palestinians, and the international community, to work towards achieving peace in the region.
The announcement has drawn positive responses from Palestinian officials, who welcomed the recognition. However, it faced criticism from both the United States and Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemning the decision as “rewarding terror” in light of the recent attack by Hamas militants on Israel in October 2023.
Currently, 147 of the 193 United Nations member states recognize or are planning to recognize Palestinian statehood. Among EU member countries, 11 have already extended recognition, including Spain, Romania, Sweden, Ireland, and Bulgaria.
In contrast, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer has dismissed calls for immediate recognition of Palestinian statehood, and a spokesperson for the German government reiterated on Friday that Berlin has no plans for such recognition in the short term, prioritizing progress towards a two-state solution instead.
