Plans for the United Kingdom and France to recognize a Palestinian state at an upcoming United Nations conference in New York, scheduled for June 17-20, have been abandoned, diplomatic sources indicated, according to a report in The Guardian on Saturday.
This decision marks a significant shift from France’s previous strong lobbying efforts for such recognition among European allies.
French President Emmanuel Macron had publicly framed recognition of “Palestine” as “a moral duty and political requirement,” even suggesting it could be linked to Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel.
However, according to The Guardian, French officials have reportedly informed their Israeli counterparts that the upcoming conference will not be the moment for such a move.
Instead, the focus will now pivot to outlining steps towards recognition, contingent on a series of prerequisites from the Palestinian Arabs. These include a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages, comprehensive reform of the Palestinian Authority, economic reconstruction, and the cessation of Hamas rule in Gaza.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated on Friday that recognizing a Palestinian state at the conference would have been a "symbolic" decision. He emphasized France's "particular responsibility" as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, suggesting that such a step would be inappropriate without the support of key allies.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has long urged countries to recognize “Palestine” as a means of bypassing direct talks with Israel.
While several countries have recognized “Palestine” in recent years, those moves were symbolic ones that have little, if any, actual diplomatic effect.
More recently, Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognized a Palestinian state in May of 2024.
In June of that year, Slovenia officially recognized a Palestinian state, after its parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the move.
Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela announced in late May that his country is set to officially recognize the "State of Palestine" during the month of June.
1 comment:
The simplest way to derail any Palestinian state is to demand one prerequisite: Publicly announce in Arabic that the conflict is over and you are prepared to live in peace with Israel.
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