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| France to recognise Palestinian state at UN general assembly, Macron says | France to recognise Palestinian state at UN general assembly, Macron says |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| French president announced decision on X, saying he hoped it would bring ‘lasting peace’ to Middle East | French president announced decision on X, saying he hoped it would bring ‘lasting peace’ to Middle East |
| France to recognise Palestine as a state – Middle East crisis live | |
| France will recognise a Palestinian state in September at the UN general assembly, Emmanuel Macron has said. | France will recognise a Palestinian state in September at the UN general assembly, Emmanuel Macron has said. |
| The French president announced the decision on X on Thursday evening, saying he hoped it would bring peace to the region. | The French president announced the decision on X on Thursday evening, saying he hoped it would bring peace to the region. |
| Macron published a letter sent to the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, confirming France’s intention to become the first major western power to recognise a Palestinian state. | Macron published a letter sent to the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, confirming France’s intention to become the first major western power to recognise 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 said. | “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 said. |
| “I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations general assembly next September.” | |
| The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said France’s decision “rewards terror” and “risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became”, which would be “a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it”. | The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said France’s decision “rewards terror” and “risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became”, which would be “a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it”. |
| “Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” he added. | “Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” he added. |
| The decision is also likely to spark anger in Washington. In a diplomatic cable in June, the US said it opposed any steps that would unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state. | The decision is also likely to spark anger in Washington. In a diplomatic cable in June, the US said it opposed any steps that would unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state. |
| Macron had been leaning towards recognising a Palestinian state for months as part of an attempt to keep the idea of a two-state solution alive, despite the pressure not to do so. | Macron had been leaning towards recognising a Palestinian state for months as part of an attempt to keep the idea of a two-state solution alive, despite the pressure not to do so. |
| French officials initially weighed up the move in advance of a UN conference, which France and Saudi Arabia had planned to co-host in June, to lay out the parameters for a route to a Palestinian state while ensuring Israel’s security. | French officials initially weighed up the move in advance of a UN conference, which France and Saudi Arabia had planned to co-host in June, to lay out the parameters for a route to a Palestinian state while ensuring Israel’s security. |
| The conference was postponed under US pressure and after the 12-day Israel-Iran air war began, during which regional airspace was closed, making it hard for representatives of some Arab states to attend. | The conference was postponed under US pressure and after the 12-day Israel-Iran air war began, during which regional airspace was closed, making it hard for representatives of some Arab states to attend. |
| It was rescheduled and downgraded to a ministerial event on 28 and 29 July, with a second event due to take place with heads of state and government on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in September. | It was rescheduled and downgraded to a ministerial event on 28 and 29 July, with a second event due to take place with heads of state and government on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in September. |
| The decision to make the announcement before next week’s conference aimed to give the French team at the UN a framework to work with other countries who are also considering recognising a Palestinian state or still have misgivings over doing so. | |
| Diplomats say Macron has faced resistance from allies such as the UK and Canada over his push for the recognition of a Palestinian state. About 40 foreign ministers will be in New York next week. | |
| Thanking France, the Palestinian Authority’s vice-president, Hussein al-Sheikh, said on X that Macron’s decision reflected “France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state”. | Thanking France, the Palestinian Authority’s vice-president, Hussein al-Sheikh, said on X that Macron’s decision reflected “France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state”. |