French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France is considering recognizing Palestine as an independent state. Speaking to French television channel France 5 on Wednesday (April 9), Macron stated that France may take this step in June. The British news agency Reuters reported the development.
Macron expressed hope that, during the same period, several Middle Eastern countries would also move towards recognizing Israel. He emphasized, “We must move forward on the path of recognizing Palestine. We are not doing this to please anyone. I have made this decision because at some point, it will be the right thing to do.” He also added that countries supporting Palestine might then reciprocate by recognizing Israel. “I want to be a part of that collective process,” he said.
Currently, over 150 sovereign states have recognized Palestine. However, influential Western countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom have yet to do so.
On the other hand, countries like Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Yemen have not recognized Israel as a state.
President Macron further mentioned that France aims to co-host a summit with Saudi Arabia by June, where progress towards mutual recognition between various countries can be finalized.