Egypt Daily News – French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot affirmed that “no one will dictate France’s position” regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state. His remarks came in response to recent threats by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who warned of “unilateral measures” against countries that choose to recognize Palestine.
Speaking during a hearing at the National Assembly, Barrot stated that “France will act according to its own convictions, because it believes in a lasting political solution for the region—one that serves the security interests of both Israel and the Palestinians.”
In April, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France could recognize the State of Palestine in June, on the occasion of a conference on Palestine to be held in New York, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.
In an interview with France 5, Macron said: “We must move toward recognition, and we will do so in the coming months.” He added, “Our goal is to co-chair this conference with Saudi Arabia in June, where we may take a step toward mutual recognition (of Palestine) with several parties.”
Macron also stated, “I will take this step because I believe it will be the right thing at the right time, and because I want to contribute to a collective momentum. This would also allow those who support Palestine to, in turn, recognize Israel—a step many have yet to take.” He emphasized that this would help “clarify the fight against those who deny Israel’s right to exist—such as Iran—and move toward shared security in the region.”
Later, Palestinian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Farsin Aghabekian Shahin, welcomed Macron’s intention, telling AFP that France’s recognition of the Palestinian state “would be a step in the right direction, consistent with protecting the rights of the Palestinian people and the two-state solution.”
